We had an excellent lunch at West Street Grill on Saturday, March 13, 2021, and had the opportunity to meet with Chef Stephen Murphy and learn more about his passion for cooking and about his culinary background. A graduate of the prestigious Johnson & Wales culinary school in Providence, Rhode Island, Chef Murphy joined the West Street Grill in June 2020. He started working in restaurants while still in high school, starting as a dishwasher at the age of 15. He worked his way up from dishwasher and fry cook one summer at an ice cream and fry shack and he was hooked. He loved the food industry and was inspired to pursue a culinary career by enhancing his hands-on experience with technical expertise at Johnson & Wales. He continued to hone his career working at The Vanderbilt in Newport, Rhode Island.  

Chef Stephen Murphy

Chef Stephen loves barbecue and low and slow cooking, which is evidenced on the West Street Grill Lunch menu with his Hickory Smoked Pulled Pork with Cabot Cheddar, Grilled Onions, and BBQ Sauce, served on a Brioche Roll with Hand Cut Fries. Another favorite is his Pan Roasted Duck Breast with Pancetta Braised Cabbage, Roasted Purple Potatoes, and Raspberry Red Wine Gastrique, which he graciously shares the recipe with Luxury Experience readers to tempt your palates into visiting the restaurant. 

Every chef has his or hers favorite "go-to" items, and for Chef Stephen Murphy, they are micro-greens and bacon. He spent time on his aunt's farm before joining West Street Grill and grew micro-greens there. When it comes to inspirational chefs, Chef Stephen Murphy was a fan of the late Chef Anthony Bourdain (1956-2018), loves his cookbooks and aspires to reach his cooking level. 

While chefs do not have much free time, when Chef Stephen Murphy is not busy working at West Street Grill or dreaming up new recipes, he enjoys spending time with his dog, an extremely sweet, mixed breed whom he rescued when she was 12 weeks old. We can only imagine how well that dog eats.  

Chef Stephen Murphy graciously shares a taste of West Street Grill to tempt readers' palates into visiting the restaurant with his recipe for West Street Grill Pan Roasted Duck Breast with Peruvian Purple Potatoes, Pancetta Braised Cabbage, and Raspberry Red Wine Gastrique.  

Chef Stephen Murphy - Recipe - West Street Grill 

Duck Ingredients:
 

Preparation: Clean duck breasts of excess skin and fat, score the skin. 

Method: Start a heavy bottom pan on low heat. Season the duck. Add the canola oil to the pan and add the duck. Render the skin until most of the fat is out and take the duck out of the pan. Raise the heat in the pan to high and place duck back in the pan to sear both sides. Let rest.  

Peruvian Purple Potatoes Ingredients:

Method: In a large sauté pan, add the oil and place the potatoes flat side down. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan. Once the potatoes are golden brown (about 3 minutes), add the thyme, wait a few seconds, and add the butter. Once the butter has fully melted, toss the potatoes in the pan. Season with salt and pepper.  

Braised Cabbage Ingredients:

Preparation: Core the cabbage, quarter it, then slice it into strips. 

Method: In a large rondeau (or Dutch Oven), add the oil and turn heat to low. Add the pancetta and render down. When about 95% rendered, add the onions. Cook the onions down until they start to caramelize. Add the cabbage and cook for 5 minutes on low heat. Add the garlic and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook for 3 minutes watching not to burn the bottom of the pan. Add the vinegar and let cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and the bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the cabbage is nice and tender and not much stock is left. This can be done beforehand. Reheat when ready by adding more stock. 

Raspberry Red Wine Gastrique Ingredients:

Note: Gastrique is the name for a sweet-sour sauce made with caramelized sugar and vinegar.

Method: In a small pot, bring the vinegar, sugar, and garlic to a simmer until all the sugar is dissolved. In a high-speed blender, add the vinegar mixture and salt. Bring the blender to medium speed, slowly add the xanthan gum. Let blend for 2 minutes. Drizzle water in while bringing the speed of the blender up to full speed. Let blend for 3 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, more water can be added. You want a "drizzle consistency." If any clumps remain, pass through a fine mesh strainer.  

Duck Presentation: Arrange sliced duck in a fan shape on each of the 4 plates. Add the cabbage alongside, with the potatoes at either end. Drizzle with the gastrique. Garnish with micro-greens (optional).  

West Street Grill is open Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for Lunch beginning at 11:30 am, and for Dinner beginning at 5:30 pm. Please call to make a reservation as days and times are subject to COVID-19 restaurant restrictions.  

Until next time, Bon Appetit!  

For more information on West Street Grill, please visit their website: www.WestStreetGrill.com  

Read about our dining experience at West Street Grill in the Restaurants section.  

West Street Grill
43 West Street
Litchfield, CT 06759
Telephone: +1-860-567-3885
Website: www.WestStreetGrill.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WestStreetGrill/
Twitter: @weststreetgrill
Instagram: @weststgrill 

Until next time, Bon Appetit! 

Read more about the Litchfield, Connecticut in the Destinations, Restaurants, and Liquor Cabinet sections. 

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