posted by Queen Bee 10-08-100 9:00 PM
Reader's Digest Cookbook
Wild Duck with Tangerines
The largest wild duck is the mallard, which usually provides three or four servings; teal and widgeon are even smaller. As the meat is tough, wild duck are best roasted continental style with liquid in the roasting pan, and should be served with a fruit flavored sauce. The recipes is also successful for domestic duck.
Preparation time 35-40 minutes
Cooking time 1 hour
Ingredients (for 3-4)
1 large wild duck
Bouquet garni*
1 cup cooked and drained noodles
1 onion (I would say chop a large one then use as much or as little as you like. I think this is a taste thing)
2 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
pinch of nutmeg (about 1/8 teaspoon)
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons beer
3 egg yolks
5 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tangerines
1/4 cup port
lemon juice
Salt and black pepper
Garnish: Tangerine slices and watercress
*bouquet garni (Pronunciation: boo-KAY gahr-NEE) To make your own: Tie the following together with a string or wrap securely in cheesecloth: 4 sprigs fresh parsley or chervil, 1 sprig fresh thyme, and 1 bay leaf.
Variations if you're using cheesecloth: Add one or more of the following: orange peel, cloves, peppercorns, marjoram, fennel leaves, celery leaves
Substitutes: equal parts parsley, thyme, and crushed bay leaf OR equal parts chervil, thyme, and crushed bay leaf OR equal parts basil, marjoram, and summer savory
Method: Clean the giblets and put them in a saucepan with water to cover, add salt, freshly ground pepper (to your taste) and the bouquet garni. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for about 25 minutes or until the giblets are tender. Strain and set the cooking liquid aside. Skin the gizzard and chop this, the heart and the liver finely.
Chop the noodles roughly and mix in the giblets, chopped onion, herbs and nutmeg Mix half the beer and half the honey with the egg yolks and cream Stir this into the noodle mixture.
Open the vent and remove any pieces of fat from the duck Spoon in the stuffing and close the opening.
Put the duck in a roasting pan, breast downwards, and pour water into the pan to a depth of 1/ inch Roast in the center of the oven fat 375°F (190°C, Mark 5) for 20 minutes, basting occasionally.
Remove the duck from the pan, put a wire rack into the pan and replace the duck, breast upwards. Pour the remaining honey and beer over the duck and continue roasting for a further 30 minutes, or until crisp and golden and the legs are tender when tested with a skewer.
Meanwhile grate the rind from the tangerines and set aside. Remove the pith and seeds and put the fruit into a liquidizer.
When the duck is ready lift it onto a warm serving dish.
Add the tangerine pulp and rind to the pan, together with the port and 1 1/4 cups of the reserved giblet stock. Boil over high heat until the gravy has reduced and thickened slightly. Sharpen the flavor with lemon juice and adjust the seasonings. Strain the gravy into a warm sauce boat.
Garnish the duck with watercress and thin slices of unpeeled tangerine.
suggested accompaniment mashed potatoes and buttered green beans
Instructions for reducing fat and cholesterol: Wild duck has much less fat than domestic duck. Removing the skin will reduce the fat level to some extent , but is not really necessary unless you need a very low-fat diet. The fat in the rest of the recipe can be reduced by omitting the egg yolks and cream from the noodle stuffing and stirring in 4 tablespoons of low-fat small curd cottage cheese or yogurt instead. *Roast the duck on the rack throughout and skim the pan juices before adding the tangerines and other flavorings. Doing this will result in low fat and medium cholesterol. ( Calories lost = up to 375) This recipe is very sweet, and you may prefer to use half the amount of honey. A gluten-free alternative to the noodles would be to replace them with a equal amount of cooked rice. *Brown* rice would also be wholefood. Use about 3 tablespoons uncooked brown rice if you have none ready cooked.