1 duckling
2 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp thyme, whole dried
2 bay leaf, crumbled
6 cloves
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp sugar, brown
1 tbsp brandy
1 garlic clove
5 red cabbage leaves
Directions
Cut off the wingtips from the duck and wrap them up with the giblets
for making stock. Pull out and discard any loose interior fat. Rinse
the duck inside and out and pat dry, inside and out. Mix together in
a spice mill or mortar the peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves, cloves and
salt. Grind to a fine texture. Combine in a small dish with the brown
sugar and brandy. Place the duck in a heavy plastic bag that fits
snugly. Rub half the spice mixture inside the duck and the remaining
half over the outside. Place the garlic in the duck's cavity. Close
the bag tightly and refrigerate 24 hours, rubbing the surface and
squeezing in the spices occasionally. Remove the duck from the bag
and gently pat it dry. Set it on a cake rack over a plate and return
it, uncovered, to the refrigerator for another 24 hours or so,
turning it once. Pat the duck to dry it thoroughly (if not already
dry) and let it come to room temperature (at least two hours).
Preheat the oven to 300. Using a large needle and white cotton
thread, sew closed the neck and tail openings. Place the duck on its
side on a rack set in a roasting pan. Roast the duck for 45 minutes.
With the needle, prick the fatty parts on the upper side; do not
prick deeply enough to pierce the flesh. Grab the duck by the legs
and turn it over onto the other side. Increase the oven temperature
to 350 and roast 30 minutes. Price the fatty parts on the upturned
side and then turn the duck onto its breast. Increase the heat to 400
and roast about 30 minutes longer, or until the duck is deeply
browned and most of the fat has melted away. Remove from the oven and
let cool 1 to 3 hours before serving. To serve: Using a heavy cleaver
or poultry shears, cut through flesh and bone of the duck carefully
to make about 12 to 14 serving pieces, keeping the skin neatly intact
on each piece. Spread the cabbage leaves over a platter, shallow
basket or wooden bowl and arrange the duck on them. If the duck is to
be served hot, arrange the cut pieces in a pan in a single layer, cut
side down, and roast in a preheated 350 oven 15 minutes.
--- Food & Wine magazine
Servings: 4 servings
Aromatic Duck Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Duck; Meat; Poultry
The History of Recipes
It is possible to follow the history of written recipes back into distant history, in fact as far back into recorded history as pharonic Egypt, and quite possibly further than that. In practice though, mostly, these early records were just very simple hieroglyphic or cunieform instructions for food preparation.
In fact, the most ancient recipe discovered, according to Professor Solomon Katz, are a few clay tablets in the Sumerian language describing the making of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as having made people feel blissful. Progressing into The time of the roman empire 25BC a man called Apicius compiled a number of scripts showing how to cook the recipes prepared by the Romans. In his publication, Apicius describes how the meals of wealthy Romans were separated into starters, main meal and desserts, something we still use today. Aspicius also recounts how the ancient Romans were skilled in the use of a wide range of spices and herbs, including many that are still in use today such as bay, rue and asafoetida. Later on in the 1400s, knights returning from the crusades brought us many new foods and herbs from the holy lands, including coriander, basil and rosemary. The introduction of these new tastes was responsible for an eruption in books on cooking, most of which are now in academic collections. For the centuries that followed, the wealthy families of Wesstern Europe strove to lay on the most extravagent meals, and consequentially the best cooks and their recipes were greatly in demand. Notwithstanding that, it was during the 19th century that fine cooking and recipe books rose to prominence. Mrs Isabella Beeton in the UK, and the equally well-known Fannie Farmer in the USA, devoted much of their lives to assembling, testing, and recording the recipes that were being prepared for the better households. By the time we get to the 20th century, recipe publications are starting to become popular mostly as a result of better eduction, people having increased free time and being a little richer. The introduction of the TV brought us celebrity TV chefs and the demand for the accompanying recipe books. Which pretty much brings us to the present day and the internet revolution, permitting everyone to access massive numbers of recipes just like those on this site. |
We hope you enjoy this Aromatic Duck recipe.
