There is nothing like a pretty Sunday in the early spring.  The weather is finally above freezing, the sun is shining and the first signs of life have begun to appear in the garden.  I noticed this morning that the garlic I planted last fall has begun to sprout.  All of my trees have started to display tiny buds. 

So after walking through my yard this morning with the dogs to take inventory of my springtime outdoor projects, I returned to the kitchen to braise the duck I had brining in the fridge.

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I had already skinned and rendered the fat from the duck; roasted the carcass, giblets and wings, then made stock, and put the legs and breast meat into a light brine to soak.

So, here is how I made the braised duck (Please note that all my quantities are estimated):

Ingredients:
• 1 ½ medium sized onions, large dice
• 4 thin (or 2 large) carrots, large dice
• 3 stalks celery, large dice
• 1 medium-sized fennel bulb, center removed and cut large dice
• Minced fennel frond (up to 1 teaspoon)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons Herbes de Provence (I made my own from fresh herbs)
• ½ teaspoon juniper berries
• 1/3 teaspoon peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• Zest of  1 blood orange
• Enough duck stock to almost cover
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 bouquet garni bag
• 1 ½ tablespoons minced parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup Grand Mariner
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• ½ cup blanched, slivered almonds

Herbs de Provence:
(Amounts are estimated)
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, de-stemmed and minced
• 1 teaspoon sage leaves, minced
• 1 teaspoon rosemary, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried lavender
• 1 teaspoon tarragon, minced

Method:
• Preheat oven to 225 degrees
• Prepare all your vegetables in advance
• Place the orange peel, bay leaves, juniper berries and peppercorns in the bouquet garni bag and tie it closed
• Rinse and pat dry all the duck pieces
• Heat a large Dutch oven on the stove top and melt some duck fat in the bottom
• Sear the duck pieces on each side, then remove to warm plate or bowl
• Add additional duck fat to the pan and sauté the onions, carrots, celery and fennel (season with salt and pepper).
• Add the garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes total
• Add the Grand Marnier and the vinegar and deglaze all the duck bits from the bottom of the pan into the liquid and let simmer until the liquid is almost completely gone
• Add the fennel frond, Herbes de Provence and flour, then  sauté for a few moments
• Put the duck pieces back in the pan with the bouquet garni and add enough duck stock to almost cover the duck
• Cover and place pot in the oven for about three hours (or until the duck is tender and falling apart).
• Remove the duck pieces from the pot and place them on a warm serving platter (keep warm)
• Put the pot back on the stove and bring the remaining braising liquid up to a simmer
• Remove the bouquet garni and puree the braising liquid with an emulsion blender.  – Sauce is done when it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Taste the reduction and adjust seasonings
• Dress the duck pieces with the reduced sauce and keep warm.
• In a frying pan, toast the almonds dry until they begin to turn light brown, sprinkle toasted almonds on top of the duck and serve.

 Dinner began with a mesculun and Goat Cheese salad.  I made a vinaigrette by whisking together honey, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar and olive oil.  I added sliced cherry tomatoes and cubed local, organic goat cheese from Northern New Jersey (Kunik).

Of course, the duck became the main attraction...

I opened a bottle of  2004 Goldeneye Pinot Noir from the Anderson Valley to go with it (note the duck on the label)



and throughly enjoyed my dinner