No, no column or website. I used to write a game cooking column for an outdoor magazine, but that was in a far country, and, alas, the girl is dead.
It's not just waterfowl that overcooks. All game has to be monitored, whether it's mallards compared to LI duckling, or beef compared to venison. Game has virtually no fat, compared to its domestic analog. On one hand, this makes it healthier. But on the other hand you have to add oil or liquid, and cut the cooking times way down.
Don't forget that stewing and braising are great ways to cook waterfowl without overcooking. Duck or goose gumbo, in fact, is an especial treat. And waterfowl lends itself to soups, too, particularly when using things the birds feed on, such as corn and celery.
At any rate, here are a few more duck recipes for you to try.
Duck Kebabs
Take the breasts from 2-3 wild ducks, and, leaving the skin intact, cut the meat into pieces about 1 x 2 inches.
In a bowl combine ½ cup each of extra virgin olive oil and tangerine juice (orange juice can sub), 1 tablespoon grated tangerine zest, 3-4 tablespoons minced onion, and a couple of bruised garlic cloves. Add the duck and marinate for two hours.
Thread the duck on soaked bamboo skewers alternating with unpeeled tangerine wedges that have been blanched in boiling water for 3 minutes, and stuffed green olives. Salt and pepper the duck to taste and broil it either over hot cols or in the broiler, about 4 inches from the heat source, skin side facing the heat. Broil about 8 minutes, turn the skewers and broil for 5 minutes more, or until the duck is crisp on the outside and pink within.
If desired the kebabs may be flambéed with a mixture of warmed Cognac and orange flavored liqueur.
As I mentioned last post, divers and puddlers have different flavor profiles. Each type can be subbed for others of its kind. That is, divers can sub for divers. But it's rare that divers and puddlers can sub for each other. In case you have some divers in the freezer, here's a recipe for:
Bluebills in Sour Cream
Flour, salt, pepper and paprika
¼ cup butter plus extra as required
1 small onion, sliced
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 cup beef bullion or broth
½ can mushroom soup
Sour cream
Breasts from up to 8 bluebills or other diving ducks
Combine the flour, slat, pepper and paprika. Roll the breasts in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
Heat the butter in a heavy skillet (cast iron preferred) and brown the breasts. Transfer them to a casserole dish.
If necessary add more butter to the skillet and sauté the onions and mushrooms. Transfer them to the casserole. Add the broth and soup to the skillet and simmer briefly. Pour over the breasts.
Put the casserole in a preheated 375F oven for one hour. Dust before servings drop some sour cream on each breast and return to the oven for five minutes.
It's rare that we have leftover duck. But when we do, we enjoy it in:
Corian Bracey's Duck Salad
2 cups cooked duck meat, cubed
1 cup apples, cubed and peeled
1 cup tangerines, peeled
½ cup celery, finely diced
1 cup strawberries, sliced
¼ cup French dressing
Lettuce
Mix the first five ingredients with French dressing. Serve on beds of lettuce.
Finally, if you take my advice and keep some whole birds this season, try them in the classic:
Chesapeake Barbecued Duck
Preheat oven to 375F.
Spatchcock* two mallards or other puddle ducks. Bake about an hour, basting every 10 minutes with barbecue sauce. Turn birds breast sides down and cook another half hour, basting.
For the sauce:
½ lb butter
½ cup catsup
1 tbls sugar
1 ½ tbls lemon juice
1 tbls Worchestershire
1 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1 small onion, chopped
½ tsp Tabasco or other hot sauce
Pepper to taste
Combine ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer covered 5 minutes.
*To spatchcock birds, place them breast side down on a cutting board. Make lengthwise cuts with kitchen shears on either side of the backbone. Remove the backbone. Turn the birds breast side up and open like a book. On older birds you might have to score the inside of the breastbone to get them to lie flat.