April 16 – Feast of St. Drogo
We highlight St. Drogo, patron saint of coffee, whose feast day is celebrated on April 16. This Flemish saint lived in the early 12th century, and very little is known about his life. He was born to nobility, and his father died before he was born. At twenty, he sold all his belongings and hired himself out as a shepherd. After his life as a shepherd, he sold his few possessions and spent the rest of his life making pilgrimages to holy sites around modern-day Europe. As his body broke down, he built himself a hermitage alongside a local church. He lived out his life in prayer there until he died at 81. There is no real explanation as to why St. Drogo has been named the patron saint of coffee. Coffee did not enter the region of the world where he lived until over 400 years later!
Ingredients
4 – 6oz duck breasts
1 Tablespoon ground coffee
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 Tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Zest of 1 Lemon
Instructions
Combine all the spices together in a bowl and set aside. With a sharp knife, score the duck's skin by cutting at a diagonal, but make sure not to cut too deeply. You only want to cut through the skin, not into the meat. Coat the meat side of the duck breast with the spice mixture. Place a medium pan over medium heat and add 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, place the duck skin-side down in the pan. Let cook for about 6-7 minutes, until it has a deep brown color. Remove the duck from the pan and drain the oil. Return the pan to the stove and heat over low heat, and place the duck back in the pan skin side down for six more minutes to render out as much fat as possible. The skin should be very crispy. Raise the heat to medium, turn the breast over, and cook for 2-3 minutes until browned. At this point, you can set the duck aside and let it rest or place it in a 350-degree oven for 3-4 minutes more if you want it more done and then rest for 5 minutes. While the duck is resting, zest lemon. Once rested, thinly slice the breast and sprinkle with lemon zest before serving. Serve and enjoy!!