I think one of the most elegant dishes to serve at a party is duck, and now it is one of the easiest. I love starting the night with a duck, cheese, and olive sampler that is bursting with flavor and simple elegance.

My children all agree this dish is an all around winner. I know that because I usually have to make two samplers or there won’t be any food for the guests.

The only difficult part of this dish is choosing what cheese and olives to accompany the duck. They are all so wonderful! I luckily have found an extremely knowledgeable cheesemonger that lets me taste as much cheese as I like (which is a lot!) while making my decision.

For this year’s party, I am serving a Cantal French Raw Milk Cheese, goat cheese with dill, and Gouda. If you choose one raw milk’s chess, one sheep’s milk cheese, and one goat’s milk cheese and maybe a few others that you just love, you will have plenty of variety.

This does not have to be expensive. I shop at Earthfare and, at times, Costco. They have very good selections. You do not always have to go to a specialty shop.

Duck, Cheese, and Olive Sampler

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Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1 8-oz. wild duck breast
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Platter of goat cheese, cow’s raw milk cheese, and Gouda or mozzarella
Salted flat crackers

Instructions

Season the duck breast with salt and pepper.
Place duck in smoking hot iron skillet with hot olive oil.
Sear until browning begins. This should only take 2 1/2 minutes.
Turn over and lightly sear on other side. Do not overcook.
Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Duck cooked in this manner should always be served rare.
Slice and serve with the cheese and olive platter. Have a great party!

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