ROAST MALLARD WITH ROOT VEGETABLES

      Title: ROAST MALLARD WITH ROOT VEGETABLES - COUNTRY
  Categories: Holidays, Main dish, Poultry
       Yield: 4 Servings
  
       1 lb Small carrots, peeled
            -and trimmed
       1 lb Small parsnips, peeled and
            -trimmed, or medium-size
            -parsnips, cut into 3
            -by 1/2-inch sticks
       2 tb Olive oil
     1/4 ts Salt
     1/4 ts Ground black pepper
       2    3-lb farm raised
            -ready-to-roast mallard
            -ducks
       2 sm Apples, quartered
       1 c  Cranberry juice cocktail
     1/2 c  Dry red wine
     1/4 c  Sugar
       8    Whole cloves
       2    Bosc pears, peeled, halved,
            -and cored
       1 sm Onion, finely chopped
     1/2 c  (1 stick) unsalted butter,
            -cut up
  
   1. In 4-quart saucepan, heat 2 inches water to boiling. Add carrots
   and parsnips; cover and return water to boiling. Simmer root
   vegetables over low heat 15 minutes to partially cook. Remove root
   vegetables with slotted spoon to a small baking pan (Set aside pan of
   cooking water.) Add oil, 1/8 t salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to
   vegetables; toss and set aside.
   
   2. Remove necks, giblets, and discard any fat from duck cavities.
   Rinse ducks, necks, and giblets; pat dry. To reserved pan of cooking
   water, add necks and giblets of ducks and remaining salt and pepper.
   Heat to boiling; simmer covered, over low heat 45 minutes.
   
   3. Heat oven to 400'F. Insert 2 apple quarters into neck and body
   cavities of each duck; twist wings back and under ducks to hold neck
   skin in place. Tie legs of each duck together. With fork, pierce
   breast skin. Arrange ducks, breast sides down, on wire rack in large
   roasting pan. Roast ducks 15 minutes with pan of root vegetables.
   Turn ducks and continue to roast 15 to 25 minutes longer or until
   breast meat is set but still red and moist when cut in the center of
   the thickest part.
   
   4. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat cranberry juice, wine, sugar,
   and cloves to boiling. Add pears; cover and return to boiling. Simmer
   pears over low heat 7 to 10 minutes or just until fork tender.
   Transfer pears to plate. Strain and reserve 3 /4 C pear poaching
   liquid.
   
   5. Drain juices from body cavities of ducks into roasting pan. Discard
   apple quarters. Transfer ducks and root vegetables to platter; cover
   and keep warm. Pour giblet broth into roasting pan; heat to boiling,
   stirring to loosen browned-on bits. Strain broth mixture into large
   measuring cup; discard fat on top and pour 3/4 C broth into skillet.
   Add onion and cook over high heat 1 minute. Add 3/4 C reserved pear
   poaching liquid. Boil rapidly until mixture is reduced to about 2 /3
   C or a syrupy consistency. Turn heat to low and add butter, stirring
   until it blends in. Pour sauce into a pitcher. Serve with pears.
   
   Country Living Holidays/92  Scanned & fixed by Di Pahl &
[ add our full cookbook to your website ] [ Search The Cookbook ]