Nancys Duck Recipes

DUCK CACCIATORE

Steps:

• Sprinkle the duck pieces with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with flour.
• Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the duck pieces on both sides until golden brown. Remove the duck to a plate and pour off most of the fat from the pot. In the same pot, over medium heat, add the garlic, carrots, celery, onions, and red wine. Scrape the pot to dislodge the brown bits stuck to the bottom. Next add the tomatoes and mushrooms, and stir. Place the duck on top of the vegetables and top with the butter and parsley. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 1 hour.
• Remove the duck and vegetables to a serving platter. Spoon over the juices and serve warm.

CRISPY DUCK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C Fan/gas mark 3/325ºF. Cut off the flap of fat that hangs over the duck's cavity. Sit the trimmed duck on a rack or slotted tray over a deep roasting tin and roast for 4 hours. Increase the oven temperature to 220°C/200°C Fan/gas mark 7/450ºF and give a final 30 minutes of intense heat. Or, if it's easier, just leave the duck in the low oven for 5 ½ hours. The choice is yours. Sit pancakes on the top part of a steamer to cook or simply follow the instructions on the packet. Pour the Hoisin sauce into a bowl. Cut the cucumber into matchsticks (like you get in a Chinese restaurant). Cut the spring onions lengthways into short strips (again, as in Chinese restaurants). Carefully take the duck, in its tin, out of the oven. Transfer the duck to a board, shred it, using two forks to pull the meat apart, and set it on the table with the sauce, pancakes, cucumber and spring onion shreds, so everyone can make their own pancake parcels. (When the duck fat has cooled a little, pour it into a bowl or jar, and save. It's great for frying potatoes.)

GRANDMA'S ROASTED DUCK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Pierce duck skin all over with a fork. Mix remaining ingredients; rub over outside of duck. Place duck on rack in a shallow roasting pan; add 1 inch of water., Roast duck, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted in thigh reads 180°, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Remove from oven; let stand 15 minutes before carving. If desired, skim fat and thicken pan drippings for gravy. Serve with duck.