14 MEMORIAL HIGHWAY
NEW ROCHELLE, NY 10801
(914) 654-6549
OWNER: ALVIN CLAYTON;
EXECUTIVE CHEF: MAURICE MAJOR
Alvin Clayton spent much of his childhood in Trinidad with a grandmother whose hospitality was so deeply ingrained that even delivery men bringing packages to her home were offered something to drink. Today her benevolent face overlooks the bar at chic Alvin & Friends, a contemporary southern and Caribbean restaurant that also functions as New Rochelle’s de facto living room. When you’re there, expect to rub elbows with everyone in town including, frequently, the mayor.
Clayton, an accomplished painter whose work hangs in the collections of Robert De Niro and Denzel Washington, might be familiar to anyone who has ever flipped through the pages of Elle, Vogue, or Esquire. Clayton’s stunning looks gained him an early career in modeling—even today Clayton is recognized as the cover model from countless L.L. Bean catalogs. But, happily, Clayton never relied on his face. In between his stints in front of the cameras, Clayton also worked in restaurants and eventually partnered with Denzel Washington and Debbie Allen in the Los Angeles contemporary southern restaurant, Georgia’s.
Cue Alvin & Friends, the result of Clayton’s relocation to the East Coast. It debuted in 2010 with a cuisine that effortlessly blends southern American and Caribbean culinary traditions. Its menu manages to embody every American’s idea of soul food. When you visit, don’t miss Clayton’s gently lethal rum punch or the sophisticated fried chicken whose secret weapon is the poultry’s par-cooking in Louisiana hot sauce. Also, it’s wise not to skip Alvin’s jerk duck breast, included here—like the restaurateur who invented it, it’s sophisticated but with a warm heart.
(SERVES 6)
6 duck breasts
Salt and pepper to taste
1½ cups extra-virgin olive oil, plus a splash to season the duck
1 bunch cilantro, leaves removed from stems
1 bunch parsley, leaves removed from stems
1 bunch scallions (5–8), including some of the green part
10 sprigs thyme, leaves removed from stems
6 cloves garlic
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup brown sugar
3 Scotch bonnet chiles
¾ cup ground allspice
One day before you intend to serve this dish, trim edges of duck breasts until each one is roughly oval in shape. Lightly score the fat of each slice with six slashes—each slash should be deep enough to reach all the way through the fat and slightly into the flesh. Season the duck with salt and pepper and add a splash of olive oil. Toss to combine in a bowl. Set duck aside.
In a food processor pulse the cilantro, parsley, scallions, thyme, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, scotch bonnets, allspice, and oil until it forms a coarse and wet mixture. If it seems dry, add more oil until the marinade is a coarse puree—but don’t overprocess the herbs. Pour the marinade over the duck slices and, as Chef Major says, “Work in well with a lot of love.” Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 24 hours.
To a medium-size sauté pan set over a medium-high heat, add the duck skin side down. Immediately reduce the heat to medium and cook the breasts, rendering their fat. Drain the pan of excess fat as you cook the duck breasts, discarding the fat. Continue this process for about 5 minutes. At this point the skin of the breasts should be almost fully rendered of its thick, white fat, and their surfaces should be mahogany brown and crisp. Turn the duck breasts over and reduce heat to medium low. Continue to cook for 2–3 more minutes for medium rare, or longer for desired doneness. Let rest for 3 minutes before slicing. Serve.
