**The Joys of Duck**

Duck meat is derived primarily from the breasts and legs of ducks. The meat of the legs is darker and somewhat fattier than the meat of the breasts, although the breast meat is darker than the breast meat of a chicken or a turkey. Being waterfowl, ducks have a layer of heat-insulating subcutaneous fat between the skin and the meat. De-boned duck breast can be grilled like steak, usually leaving the skin and fat on. Magret refers specifically to the breast of a mallard or Barbary duck that has been force fed to produce foie gras.

Duck is used in a variety of dishes around the world, most of which involve roasting for at least part of the cooking process to aid in crisping the skin. Notable duck dishes include:

• Bebek Betutu: a famous traditional dish from Bali, Indonesia. The duck is first seasoned with pungent roots and various herbs, wrapped with banana leaves, and roasted. Chicken is also used to prepare Betutu.
• Confit: duck legs that have been cured (partly or fully) in salt, then marinated and poached in duck fat, typically with garlic and other herbs. The French word confit means "preserved", and the French name for duck confit is "confit de canard."
• Czernina: a sweet and sour Polish soup made of duck blood and clear poultry broth. It was once considered a symbol of Polish culture until the 19th century, customarily served to young men and is even featured as a plot device in a famous epic poem called Pan Tadeusz.
• Duck à l'orange: a classic French dish in which the duck is roasted and served with an orange sauce.
• Foie Gras: a specially fattened and rich liver, or a pâté made from the liver, sometimes taken from a duck but usually from a goose.
• Oritang: a variety of guk, Korean soup made with duck and various vegetables.
• Peking Duck: a famous Chinese dish originating from Beijing, prepared since the Ming Dynasty era. It is prized for the thin, crispy skin, with authentic versions of the dish serving mostly the skin and little meat, and eaten with pancakes, spring onions, and hoisin sauce or sweet bean sauce.
• Pressed duck: a complex dish originally from Rouen, France.
• Turducken: an American dish that comprises a turkey, stuffed with a duck, which is in turn stuffed with a chicken.
• Zhangcha duck: a quintessential dish of Sichuan cuisine. It is first prepared by smoking a marinated duck over tea leaves and twigs of the camphor plant, then steamed, and finally deep fried for a crisp finish. Also called tea-smoked duck.
• Long Island roast duckling: This is a whole roasted bird, sometimes brined previously. When done properly, most of the fat melts off during the cooking process, leaving a crispy skin and well-done meat. Some restaurants on Long Island serve this dish with a cherry sauce.

*How To Butcher A Duck*
"Great British Chefs demonstrates how to butcher a duck at home. Cut skin between leg and body. Then find the joint, pop and cut through and repeat on other side. Next place knife down the centre of the bone, cut where it falls and slowly work knife down, leaving no meat. Finally cut through skin at bottom and repeat on the other side."

*Duck Soup*
"This soup is easy to make, though it takes a bit of planning. It is a complete and filling meal."


Ingredients

• 1 1/2 kg duck, breasts filleted and legs removed

For the stock

• 1 (375 g) cans chicken consomme
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 medium onions, roughly chopped
• 1 cinnamon sticks
• 1 whole star anise
• 1 teaspoon szechwan pepper, lightly crushed

For the marinade

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 whole star anise
• 1/2 teaspoon szechwan pepper, lightly crushed

For the duck soup

• 3 -4 green onions, finely sliced
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 2 cups cooked noodles ( Hokkien are good)
• 100 g button mushrooms, halved and cooked
• ginger, finely julienned

Directions

1. Mix the ingredients of the marinade, and add the breast fillets and legs.
2. Refrigerate overnight.
3. To make the stock, put carcass portions and other stock ingredients into a large saucepan.
4. Add water to cover and bring to the boil.
5. Simmer gently for 45 minutes.
6. Strain, return stock to a clean pot and reduce over medium heat for 15 minutes.
7. Remove any remaining meat from the carcass and reserve.
8. Cool reduced stock, and refrigerate overnight.
9. When stock is cold, skim fat from the surface.
10. The stock is ready for use.
11. For the duck portions: remove from marinade, and cook in a hot oven (about 200c) for about 20 minutes for the breasts, and about 30 minutes for the legs.
12. You want the meat to be pink and juicy still, and the skin crispy.
13. Cool a little then shred the meat.
14. For the soup: Put stock in a large saucepan and bring to the boil.
15. Reduce heat, and add remaining soup ingredients including both lots of reserved duck meat.
16. Warm through and season to taste.

*Duck Confit*

Duck confit (French: confit de canard) is a French dish made with the leg of the duck. While it is made across France, it is seen as a speciality of Gascony. The confit is prepared in a centuries-old process of preservation that consists of salt curing a piece of meat (generally goose, duck, or pork) and then poaching it in its own fat.

Ingredients

• 6 duck legs
• 3/4 cup kosher salt
• 8 black peppercorns
• 8 garlic cloves, crushed
• 8 thyme sprigs
• 3 bay leaves, crumbled
• 1 quart rendered duck fat, melted (or mild olive oil)

Directions

Press duck legs, flesh-side down, into salt. Lightly sprinkle additional salt on fat side. In a nonreactive container layer duck legs with herbs and spices: Place 3 legs in container, fat-side down, cover with peppercorns, garlic, thyme and bay leaves and press on remaining 3 legs, flesh-side down. Store overnight, covered and refrigerated

Remove legs from container, rinse off salt and seasonings under cold water and pat dry. Place in a deep saucepan or Dutch oven large enough to hold legs in one layer and pour in melted duck fat. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, reduce heat to very low and cook until meat actually pulls away from drumsticks. Allow confit to cool in its fat. Store, completely covered in fat, refrigerated, for up to 1 month before using.

*Peking Duck*

"A beautifully presented roast duck is roasted and served with a home made plum sauce and green onions."    

Ingredients

• 1 (4 pound) whole duck, dressed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 orange, sliced in rounds
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
• 5 green onions
• 1/2 cup plum jam
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 cup finely chopped chutney

Directions

1. Rinse the duck inside and out, and pat dry. Cut off tail and discard. In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, white pepper and cloves. Sprinkle one teaspoon of the mixture into the cavity of the duck. Stir one tablespoon of the soy sauce into the remaining spice mixture and rub evenly over the entire outside of the bird. Cut one of the green onions in half and tuck inside the cavity. Cover and refrigerate the bird for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
2. Place duck breast side up on a rack in a big enough wok or pot and steam for an hour adding a little more water, if necessary, as it evaporates. Lift duck with two large spoons, and drain juices and green onion.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place duck breast side up in a roasting pan and prick skin all over using a fork.
4. Roast for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. While the duck is roasting, mix together the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and honey. After 30 minutes, brush the honey mixture onto the duck and return it to the oven. Turn the heat up to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Roast for 5 minutes, or until the skin is richly browned. Do not allow the skin to char.
5. Prepare the duck sauce by mixing the plum jam with the sugar, vinegar and chutney in a small serving bowl. Chop remaining green onions and place them into a separate bowl. Place whole duck onto a serving platter and garnish with orange slices and fresh parsley. Use plum sauce and onions for dipping.

            

*Duck Legs in Green Curry*
"Spicy Thai curry sauce complements the rich flavor of duck legs."

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 duck legs
• 1 small onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 serrano peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger root, minced
• 3 (10 ounce) cans coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons yellow curry paste
• 2 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 green onions, minced
• 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 1 (12 ounce) package thin rice noodles
• 1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Place duck legs fat-side down in a large skillet over medium-high heat, searing them on both sides until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove legs from pan, and reserve about 3 tablespoons of fat.
2. Place onions in skillet with reserved duck fat, and cook over medium heat until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, serrano peppers, and ginger; cook for about 3 minutes.
3. Skim the coconut cream from 1 can of coconut milk, and stir the cream into the onion mixture. Stir in the curry paste, and cook until fragrant, about 1 or 2 minutes.
4. Stir into the skillet the additional 2 cans of coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, green onions, and fish sauce. Return duck legs to the pan. Simmer on low heat until just done, about 15 minutes. (If the curry sauce needs further reducing, remove the duck legs to an oven set at low heat, and cook down the sauce over medium heat.)
5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil, and cook the noodles according to package directions. When done, drain, and run cold water over noodles. Set aside.
6. Toss the noodles in the curry, and serve with chopped cilantro.               

*Honey Duck*
"Orange-stuffed duck sprinkled with fresh basil and ginger and basted with a honey citrus glaze. Delicious, flavorful, moist duck recipe!"

Ingredients

• 1 (4 pound) whole duck, rinsed
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger root
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 orange, quartered
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup honey
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup undiluted, thawed orange juice concentrate

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a small bowl mix together mix together the basil, ginger and salt and sprinkle mixture on inside and outside of duck. Stuff duck with orange quarters and lay in roaster. Add water.
3. In a small saucepan combine the honey, butter, lemon juice and orange juice concentrate. Simmer together over low heat until syrupy; pour a little of the mixture over the duck, saving the rest for basting. Cover roaster.
4. Bake/roast ducks in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn duck breast down, reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and roast covered for another 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until very tender. If desired, turn duck breast up during last few minutes of cooking, to brown.

 *Bacon Wrapped Duck Breasts*
"A simple way to prepare duck breasts without the 'gamey' taste. Serve with wild rice and fresh bread for a special meal."

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup salt
• 8 cups water
• 12 duck breast halves
• 12 slices bacon
• 1 (16 ounce) bottle Italian-style salad dressing
• toothpicks

Directions

1. Mix together salt and water. Set aside 2/3 of the mixture, and pour the rest into a glass baking dish. Soak the duck in the salt water overnight to remove the gamey. Change the salt water twice, or until mostly clear.
2. The next morning, discard the salt water, and pour salad dressing over the duck breasts, and marinate for at least 8 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Wrap each breast half in one strip of bacon, and secure with a toothpick. Place the breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
4. Bake for about 1 hour, or until bacon is crisp, and duck is cooked through.

*Turducken*
"This is a turkey stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a chicken stuffed with dressing. You will need toothpicks and kitchen string for this recipe."

Ingredients

• 1 (3 pound) whole chicken, boned
• salt and pepper to taste
• Creole seasoning to taste
• 1 (4 pound) duck, boned
• 1 (16 pound) turkey, boned
• 3 cups prepared sausage and oyster dressing

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lay the boned chicken skin-side down on a platter and season liberally with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning. Lay the boned duck skin-side down on top of the chicken and season liberally with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning. Cover and refrigerate.
2. Lay the boned turkey skin-side down on a flat surface. Cover with a layer of cold Sausage and Oyster Dressing and push the dressing into the leg and wing cavities so they will look as if they still have bones in them.
3. Lay the duck on top of the turkey skin-side down and cover it with a layer of cold dressing. Lay the chicken on top of the duck skin-side down and cover it with a layer of cold dressing.
4. With the help of an assistant, bring the edges of the turkey skin up and fasten them together with toothpicks. Use the kitchen string to lace around the toothpicks to help hold the stuffed turkey together. Carefully place the turducken, breast up in a large roasting pan.
5. Roast covered for 4 hours or until the turducken is golden brown. Continue to roast uncovered for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer inserted through the thigh registers 180 degrees F. and a thermometer inserted through the stuffing registers 165 degrees F. Check the turducken every few hours to baste and remove excess liquid. There will be enough pan juices for a gallon of gravy. Carve and serve.

*Duck Cassoulet*

"A real, old-fashioned cassoulet slow cooked in a 20th century kitchen appliance. Traditional cassoulet has a sprinkling of bread crumbs on top; if you want the bread crumbs, you can finish this dish in the oven, so that the bread crumbs are toasted."

Ingredients

• 1 pound pork sausage links, sliced
• 1 tablespoon whole cloves
• 1 whole onion, peeled
• 3 sprigs fresh parsley
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1/2 pound bacon
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 pound dry navy beans, soaked overnight
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound skinned, boned duck breast halves, sliced into thin strips.
• 1 fresh tomato, chopped

Directions

1. In a large skillet, brown the sliced sausage over medium heat.
2. Insert whole cloves into onion. Roll bacon up, and tie with a string. Tie together parsley, thyme, and rosemary.
3. In a large slow cooker, place soaked beans, sausage, bacon, onion studded with cloves, fresh herbs, bay leaf, carrots, minced garlic, and duck. Add enough water to cover the other ingredients. Cook for 1 hour on HIGH. Reduce heat to LOW, and continue cooking for 6 to 8 hours.
4. Remove onion, bacon, and herbs. Stir in chopped tomatoes. Continue cooking for 1/2 hour. Serve.