Seared Foie Gras With Black Pepper–Duck Biscuits And Carolina Peach Jam Recipe

Peninsula Grill feels a bit like a Southern gentlemen’s club that wisely and graciously invites the ladies, on bent knee, to supper and later into the parlor (that is, bar) for a dandy of a mint julep and some romantic banter. Suave, swank, and debonair, Peninsula Grill is decorated with restrained Southern taste and hushed by soothing, slate-gray, velvet-lined walls and nineteenth-century portraits of celebrated Charlestonians. Intimate, with just one hundred seats in the dining area, Peninsula Grill is Charleston’s premier special occasion restaurant and one of her most revered. People come from near and far on birthdays, anniversaries, and other notable life occasions for Robert Carter’s elegant (but never prissy) new American cuisine with Southern influences.Robert’s been steering the ship here since the restaurant opened in 1997, garnering awards and international praise along the way. Though many menus have been modified over the years, he still sticks to the original plan—“a timeless restaurant that is identifiable as both upscale and casual.” Toward that end, he gives diners “steakhouse” choices, like simple grilled steak and seafood paired with a number of sauces (ponder toasted pecan–rosemary butter sauce for a fleeting indulgence!), and dishes he constructs, like his signature Seared Foie Gras with Black Pepper–Duck Biscuits and Carolina Peach Jam.For the essence of Robert’s gutsy, boyish Southern style, ask why the dish is such a hit; he says with a humble smile, “It works.” Duck confit, essentially duck slowly braised in duck fat (the duck must be entirely covered by the fat), is the principal layer of the dish. “It is a great staple to have in your refrigerator for all kinds of last-minute entertaining, so double or triple the recipe when you make it,” advises Robert. Confit will store well, refrigerated, for one or two months.Adapted from "The Charleston Chef's Table" by Holly Herrick.