ROAST MALLARD WITH CRANBERRY GRAVY
Wild duck is a seasonal treat, albeit a relatively
inexpensive one and much better at feeding
two people than most joints. There’s a tiny bit of preparation to ensure the
little legs yield soft meat, and also their flavour for a
gravy. Otherwise it’s a case of quickly browning
in a pan and finishing in the oven while pulling the
trimmings together. Cranberries are a nod towards more traditional Christmas meals, and also
provide a tart pop to balance the richness of
the meat.
INGREDIENTS
1 oven-ready mallard
(600-700g)
8 sprigs sage Zest ½ orange, finely grated
1 star anise
3 cloves garlic, flattened 1 celery stalk, roughly
chopped
1 echalion shallot, peeled and
halved
30g butter 60ml port or red wine 50g fresh cranberries
Juice ½ orange
hThe day before your meal, cut the legs from the crown of the bird and set
to one side. Remove and discard the wishbone. Pull out any giblets and set to
one side, then give the inside a quick wash with cold water. Set the crown
on a plate or tray, stuff with six sprigs of sage, rub
salt into the skin and refrigerate, uncovered,
until the next day.
hMeanwhile, place the legs in a small container
and rub with a heaped teaspoon of salt. Refrigerate for an hour (longer is
fine). Rub the salt off, place in a small pan along with the giblets, orange
zest, star anise, garlic, celery, shallot and remaining sage. Cover with
water, then simmer, partially covered, for 90 minutes until the meat is
tender, topping up the liquid from time to time. Leave to cool, strain the
stock into a container, pick the meat and add that
to the stock, seal and refrigerate, discarding the remaining cooked bones,
skin and vegetables.
hAt mealtime, heat the oven to 130C/110C fan/ lowest gas mark. Add 20g of butter and a splash of
cooking oil to a heavy bottomed pan set over a
high heat. Brown the mallard on all sides for 4-5 minutes, then transfer to a
small roasting tin and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes – the breast meat should feel firm – neither
slack, nor tight and bouncy. Remove and rest for 15 minutes while the
rest of the meal comes together. (If you have a
meat thermometer, remove when the thickest
part of the breast reads 53C. If not, it’s better to be underdone as the breasts
can always be flash-fried for a couple of minutes if redder than you desire,
post resting.)
hFor the gravy, place a small saucepan over a
high heat. After 60 seconds add the red wine
or port, let that bubble and steam for 15 seconds
then tip the stock and picked meat into the pan. Bring to a simmer, add the cranberries and simmer
gently for four minutes until half the cranberries
have popped. Whisk in the orange juice and 5-10g of cold butter. Keep warm for a few moments more.
hCut the breast from the rested bird, using the
breast bone as a guide. Slice each into 4-5 pieces,
arrange on a platter/ plates. Spoon the leg meat
onto the same dish(es), then pour the cranberry
gravy over all the meat. Serve with the trimmings.