ANARA COL PIEN

STUFFED DUCK

Stuffed roast duck is one of the traditional dishes of the great Festa del Redentore which is held on the third Sunday in July. This recipe is inspired by a dish I enjoyed at the Vini da Gigio restaurant.

SERVES 6 PREPARATION TIME: 30 MINUTES COOKING TIME: 1¹/₄ HOURS

2 x 2 kg (4 lb 8 oz) ducks

THE STUFFING

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

A few sage leaves, finely chopped

A few thyme and marjoram leaves, finely chopped

1 handful of flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, finely chopped

1 rosemary stalk, finely chopped

The liver and heart of the duck

150 g (5¹/₂ oz)sopressa (Venetian salami), or pancetta or bacon, chopped

Grated zest of 1 lemon

70 g (2¹/₂ oz) parmesan cheese, grated

1 egg

Home-made breadcrumbs

THE SAUCE

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

2 garlic cloves

1 bay leaf

1 rosemary stalk

A few sage leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

125 ml (4 fl oz/¹/₂ cup) dry white wine

1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) beef stock (preferably home-made, otherwise use an organic stock cube)

To make the stuffing: Combine the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and herbs, mix them with the chopped liver, heart and sopressa, add the lemon zest, parmesan and egg and season with salt and pepper. Add enough breadcrumbs to make a fairly firm stuffing and use it to stuff the duck. Tie up the duck with kitchen string.

To make the sauce: In a cast-iron pot or large deep frypan, large enough to hold the ducks, sauté the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and herbs in the oil on medium heat. After 2 minutes, add the ducks and brown them in the oil. Season with salt. Add the wine and let it bubble for a few minutes. Add the stock, bring it to the boil, cover and let the ducks simmer for about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4).

Remove the ducks from the liquid, transfer to a baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, reduce the cooking juices on medium heat with the vegetables and then remove the herbs and process in a food processor to make a smooth sauce. Cut the string from the ducks and take out the stuffing, cut the ducks into pieces and spoon over the sauce. Serve with polenta and/or roast potatoes.