Duck Meat Loaf From Buttermilk Channel Restaurant In Brooklyn, New York City

Buttermilk Channel, the latest newcomer to Carroll Gardens's swelling dining scene, is an ideal restaurant for these jittery times. Though the term "upscale comfort food" is in danger of becoming cliché (if it hasn't already), chef Ryan Angulo's sophisticated renditions of dishes like baby back ribs, burgers and fried chicken are some of the best we've tasted in this category.

It was inevitable that meat loaf would appear on his menu, but Angulo didn't want it to be ordinary. Inspired by some duck from the Hudson Valley, he reinvented the dish and served it at a pre-opening tasting at owner Doug Crowell's home.

To make his duck meat loaf, Angulo grinds the flavorful breast meat and soul-satisfying fat separately, then sweetens the mixture with caramelized onions and raisins. To re-create this affordable luxury as it's served at Buttermilk Channel, add a side of creamed spinach and a bodacious fried onion ring.

Buttermilk Channel's Duck Meat Loaf
Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 pound ground duck breast, skin discarded (ask your butcher to separate the fat from the breast, then grind each separately)
4 ounces ground duck fat (see above)
¼ cup chopped raisins
½ cup fresh bread crumbs or panko
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 large egg
1½ teaspoons salt
1. Preheat oven to 350˚. In a skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and cook over moderately low heat until soft and translucent.
2. In a large bowl, mix the onions with the remaining ingredients. Press the mixture into a loaf pan and bake until cooked through, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Divide the meat loaf into four portions and serve.

Buttermilk Channel, 524 Court St. (at Huntington St.), Brooklyn; 718-852-8490 or buttermilkchannelnyc.com