fennel duck

2015-04-18

Marielos approves of this recipe.

I have a generous supply of fennel in my garden, I can to be generous with it for the duck as well. Those skinny stalks are too fibrous for eating, but together with the fronds they can still be used to intensify the flavor of the dish. That much fennel gives the meat a distinctive anise overtone that I find very pleasing.

If you have an electric crockpot or table oven that is big enough to hold a large duck, a dry overnighter in the crockpot might be more convenient than the oven-cooking that is described below.

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for 4 servings:

1 duck, 4 lbs.
2 lbs. fennel
stalks OK, bulbs better
S&P

Pic1: fennel duck, ready to be served

Directions

Pic2: stack
Pic3: cover with tinfoil hat, cook
Pic4: seared duck breast, stuffed with fennel

Preheat the oven to 225 ºF.
Rub the entire duck inside and outside with your favorite spice mix, S&P to taste.
Stuff the duck's body cavity with fennel.
- If you can get fennel bulbs, use those instead.
- Quarter them before stuffing them in and around the body.
  Unlike the stalks, you can eat the bulbs.
Stuff fennel fronds under the skin and cover the duck with more fennel. (Pic1)
Build an aluminum foil tent around the stack.
Slow-cook it in the oven at 225 ºF, 25 min per pound.
Verify doneness and food-safe internal temperature with a meat thermometer.
Optional:
- If that duck is young enough, cut the breast meat off the carcass while it is still red throughout, stuff it with fennel and sear it briefly in a hot frying pan. (Pic4)
  Cooking duck breast until well done is imo a waste of a very good steak.
Optional:
- Remove the tinfoil hat.
- Switch to broiler for 10-15 minutes to crisp and brown the skin.
Serve and enjoy.

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more and avemariasongs.org

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more
and avemariasongs.org