posted by Liz Thomas 09-07-100 2:25 AM
Welsh Salt Duck
from “First Catch Your Peacock”, a classic guide to Welsh food, by Bobby Freeman. It, in turn, is quoted from “The First Principles of Good Cookery” (1867) by the Right Hon. Lady Llanover, Augusta Hall.
Note: A “double” is double saucepan or a “bain marie”.
Salt Duck
“For a common-sized duck a quarter of a pound of salt, to be well rubbed in and re-rubbed, and turned on a dish every day for three days, then wash all the salt off clean, put it into a double with half a pint of cold water to the pound, and let it simmer steadily for two hours. Salt boiled duck, with white onion sauce, is much better than roast duck.”
(Ms. Freeman’s comment "I usually add an onion, a bouquet garni and a few black peppercorns)".
Onion Sauce:
Cut up four onions and stew in a double with a little water until tender; then pour off the water and mix half an ounce of flour with it; then add half a pint of milk, and stir well until of proper consistency. Then pass through a wire sieve and return into the double saucepan and stir well, and when quite hot it is ready to pour over.