Duck in Olives

Submitted by Tuck Burnette

"This recipe is adapted from Restaurant Allard, located on the left bank of Paris. There it is made with Muscovy duck. Ordinarily, a restaurant like that would use the gizzards to impart a game flavor to the sauce, since Pekin ducks sold in stores in America come without them, chicken livers will have to do, they are optional, but good. If, like me, you have a bag of chicken innards and necks in the freezer, from every time one is roasted, use those, otherwise, buy fresh chicken livers sold in tubs at the market, and use the remainder within two days of opening, or freeze immediately for future use, in something else."

 

• Ready In: 5hrs 35mins
• Ingredients: 18
• Yields: 1 duck
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 1 big pinch fennel seed
• 12 big parsley stems, without leaves
• 10 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 -2 sprig thyme or 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• cheesecloth, 6-inch square
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided use
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 lbs chicken wings, tips discarded, separated at joints
• 2 -3 chicken livers (see note)
• 3 small-medium onions, minced
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons flour
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup dry white vermouth
• 4 -6 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 lb drained weight large green olives, pitted
• 5 lbs whole duck

directions

1. Tie the spices in cheesecloth, set aside.
2. Heat a stock pot with 1 tablespoon of the butter and the oil. Add the chicken wings and livers (or neck and giblets, if using), and cook, stirring often, until they begin to brown.
3. Add the minced onions, and cook for 5-10 minutes more. Stir in the flour. Add the broth, the wine, the vermouth, the spice bag, and the tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer gently, for about 2 hours, skimming the scum, from time to time.
4. Bring a 6-cup saucepan, half-filled with unsalted water to a boil. Cook the olives 2 minutes, then drain, and rinse under cold water.
5. Strain the sauce through a fine large sieve into another saucepan, of suitable dimensions and add the olives, discarding the solids, and spices, from the sieve. Simmer gently for an hour or more, until the sauce coats a spoon.
6. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees, while the sauce cooks.
7. Wash the duck, discarding (or reserving) any lumps of fat.
8. Score the skin all over with a small sharp knife, rub with the remaining butter, and season the cavity, and flesh with salt and pepper. Tie the legs.
9. Fit a roasting tin with a rack, put on the breast side down of the duck, and roast 20 minutes, basting. Flip, roast 20 minutes more, basting.
10. Reduce thermostat to 350 degrees and roast until the duck registers 160 degrees (about 1 hour).
11. Rest 20 minutes, then cut into pieces, as for chicken, and serve with the sauce all over.