SERVES 4 TO 6
Over the years in Spain, I have come across a number of spectacular dishes with duck, including in various rice ones south of Valencia. But three in particular immediately spring to mind. In Sevilla, duck with olives is superb, as is, in La Cerdanya, at the other end of the country on the border with France, duck with local black turnips. Most stunning of all, though, must be duck with pears, one of the great dishes of the Catalan kitchen.
I have stuck close to the traditional preparation and have adapted this recipe from the rather grandiose but fittingly named Corpus del patrimoni culinari català (The Corpus of Catalan Culinary Heritage) put out by the Fundacío Institut Català de la Cuina (The Catalan Culinary Institute Foundation). As the Corpus duly notes, you can substitute firm peaches for the pears, cooking them for the final 15 minutes.
1. Cut the duck into eight or ten pieces following the directions on page 336 for chicken (or have your butcher do it). Rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Prick the skin with a fork to help render the fat when the duck cooks. Generously season with salt and pepper.
2. In a cazuela, large sauté pan, or deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Working in single-layer batches, add the pieces of duck, skin-side down, until browned and the fat has been rendered, 5 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a large platter. Remove all but a thin coating of fat from the pan.
3. Add the onions, leeks, and carrots and cook over low heat until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes or so, until darker and slightly pasty. Stir in the brandy, let the alcohol burn off for 1 to 2 minutes, and return the duck to the pan, turning over to coat in the sauce. Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary and cover with 2 cups/480 ml water. Simmer over medium-low heat for 45 minutes, turning the duck and basting from time to time.
4. Add the pears and a touch more water if needed to keep them moist, reduce the heat to low, partly cover the pan, and gently simmer until the pears are nearly tender and the meat of the duck begins to come away from the bone, about 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, prepare a picada with the garlic, almonds, cookies, and 1 or 2 tablespoons of simmering liquid from the cazuela, following the directions on page 39.
6. Stir the picada into the sauce, season with salt, and simmer until the pears are tender but not mushy, about 10 minutes.
7. Transfer the duck to a serving platter. Arrange the pears on top. Pass the sauce through a food mill (or a colander, pushing out the vegetables); discard the herbs. Spoon some of the sauce over the duck before serving and put the remaining sauce in a bowl to add as desired.