SC - In need of duck/goose recipes..

[Stefan li Rous]

Angus MacIomhair asked:
> I've got a small problem...
> I plan on cooking duck or goose this saturday.
> While I enjoy the taste of both I haven't had too much experience in cooking either of them. =(

Check this file in the FOOD section of my files:
duck-goose-msg    (14K)  6/20/00    Cooking duck and goose. Recipes.

I had never cooked a duck before, but last Yule, with some simple
instructions from Phlip, I cooked one that came out fairly well. Good
enough that I turned around and did two more with the same recipe for 
my Crown Luncheon at Candlemas. The Crown and Entourage seemed to like
it. There wasn't any left over.

This is edited from a computer chat conversation with Phlip. While still
a bit rough, I think you should be able to follow it.

- -----------
Basic duck roasting, 101-

When you roast a duck, remove all the loose interior fat, and wash 
it in cold water. Cut off the neck skin (use it to roast in strips 
along with the rest of the duck).
Throw the fat in the bottom of the pan, and let it render.

Take a fork, and pierce the skin all over, without piercing 
the flesh- to do that easily, pinch it up and pierce that.

Bare neck gets saved with the wings, for stock.

Then, take your duck, and salt the living bloody blue blazes 
out of it, inside and out.

Slow roast them for 2 hours, at about 250 degrees.
Breast side up, placed on a grill so all the fat can drain.

When almost but not entirely done, Skin them, and disjoint them, 
having previously removed the wings to save for stock.
Cut the skin into strips, and cook them until they're crispy.
Breast meat should be rare.
The skin should almost be done to cracklins.

Arrange the sliced breast meat on the platter around the outside, 
then put the legs and thighs on one interior end of the breast meat, 
and the skin on the other.

Can be served hot, but still tastes good luke warm to cold.

OK. Now, easy sauce......
A jar of jam or preserves- I used strawberry for Thanksgiving, but 
marmalade or boysenberry, or whatever will work as well.

Half that volume of a dry red wine, in which you've steeped whole 
peppers for several hours or overnight, and strained.

Mix together, heat, and serve next to the duck. If you can, set it 
up so it stays warm and liquid over Sterno or a votive candle type 
of thing, but it also is good, if a bit solid, cold.

I use whole pepper because they are easier to strain out.

Heating the wine with the peppers in it and reducing it helps too, 
if you're short on time.

You don't want the sauce real hot, just liquid.
Another variation for the sauce, is to add an additional 1/4 of 
the jam volume hot pepper jelly.

Won't be greasy, if you pierce the skin, salt the duck, then render 
down the skin- at least, no more greasy than well-cooked french 
fries or donuts.

- -- 
Lord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas           stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****