DUCK WITH CIDER

Around this time of year, it’s prudent to touch base with your hunter friends, a little ‘Hey, howya doin.’ Even if you aren’t fortunate enough to get an offer of fresh moose or elk from your buddy, you can buy easily bison and venison. That’s where chef Jean-Paul Grappe’s new tome comes in. The Complete Wild Game Cookbook covers the spectrum with recipes for everything with hoofs or feathers, and many will work with domesticated products such as lamb, turkey, game hen or farm-raised duck. Use Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples for cooking. 4 Pekin duck thighs

One 12-oz (341 mL) bottle hard apple cider

8 cooking apples, peeled and finely diced

8 shallots ½ tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon 4 garlic cloves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

⅓ cup (80 mL) peanut or vegetable oil, divided

⅓ cup (80 ml) butter

⅓ cup (80 mL) flour

⅓ cup (80 mL) Calvados or other brandy

1¼ cups (310 mL) duck stock

1. Place duck thighs in a large container. Add cider, apples, shallots, cinnamon and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Pour 4 tsp (20 mL) of oil over top. Let stand at room temperature for 25 minutes. When you remove the thighs, reserve the marinade.

2. In a saucepan on medium low heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Set roux aside.

3. Heat remaining oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add duck thighs and fry until golden brown, 5 minutes per side. Remove duck and place in a deep skillet or a large, shallow pot over medium heat on stovetop. Flambé with Calvados. Add duck stock and all marinade ingredients except diced apple, which will be set aside. Reduce heat to low and simmer until duck is cooked through.

4. Remove duck and shallots. Pour sauce through fine-mesh strainer and return to skillet. Whisk in roux a little at a time until desired thickness is reached. Return duck, shallots and diced apple. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

Makes: 4 servings.