Pardon me for thinking aloud amidst you guys so you can help foster my inspiration. Ok tomorrow, roast duck. How do I roast it (spice rub....?)? And what veggies could I serve as accompaniment? Not really excited by potatoes or sweet potatoes. I know Duck goes well with sweet stuff.... I wish I could find quinces!!!Â
The only thing that inspires me so far is a 'wild' mushroom medley, maybe with garlic, parsley... stuff like that.Â
Carrots take to sweetness well. Apples and red cabbage in some variation of rot kohl. That wouldn't be my choice to serve against five spice duck though.Â
As for potatoes, who needs them? If they don't excite you nix them. Personally I die a little on the inside when I don't see potatoes on the table but it's not a rule that you have to make them. How about rice? People forget all about rice on Thanksgiving. I make a killer wild rice "stuffing"with sausage, sage, chicken livers and chestnuts.
I really love roasted carrots. I like to make a medley of carrots and parsnips, tossed cumin, olive oil, chili flakes and roasted alongside a halved orange. I dress them with olive oil and the roasted orange juice.
Along the line of more sweetness you could also roast vegetables with pommegranate molasses, I've done this with brussel sprouts and onions too. Heck I bet the molasses would make a great glaze for the duck too! I've never made a whole duck but when making duck breast I really like rubbing it generously with allspice and rosemary, then finishing with honey at the end. That's probably what I'd do, rub the duck with salt, pepper, allspice and rosemary and then glaze it with pomengranate molasses. Yum!
Don't forget a bright and acidic salad to contrast the rich duck.
You need to stop by my house and get a jar of the port-cranberry-orange-onion relish I made for Thanksgiving. It would be great with your duck. And since we had to cancel the Thanksgiving feast due to a family tragedy it might not get eaten otherwise. But no potato... heresy!
Wow, so many amazing ideas, thanks guys!!! Cranberry sauce huh? Funny my wife suggested it and I immediately replied Naaaah that would be for turkey but I'm not going to serve that with duck. Now I'm reconsidering!!! @BrianShaw if only I had the time I would take you up on your offer!!! But I'm afraid that unless by "Great Los Angeles" you mean "North Hollywood", I probably won't have the time to stop by. Thank you so much for the offer!! And so sorry to hear there was a tragedy in your family. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/frown.gif
Potatoes? Argh now that I have my fennel and apples I'm craving potatoes and mushrooms!!! Never satisfied. Oh well, that's the direction I'm going. Been eating way too many potatoes lately anyway. And rice too, so that's out too.
I really like the idea of rubbing the duck skin with all spice and rosemary, plus I think that would be fantastic with apples and fennel! So thanks for that.
@cheflayne thank you for the last minute suggestions. Fennel seed sounds killer on the duck! I think I'll use that. And I did buy a little piece of ginger! So somehow that's going to make it into the duck or into the sauce, probably the sauce come to think of it.
Well it turned out great, unfortunately no pics. I really loved the green pepper+fennel seed rub on the duck, and the potatoes and shallots were out of this world! The potatoes were literally confit in the duck fat. And when I think I almost didn't make potatoes!!
Now the great news is I have a bowl full of leftover duck fat!!!
Yes on veggies!! Especially potatoes of course, but others too.... eggs! Never thought of doing eggs in duck fat. Gotta try it! Oooooh rillettes.... now that sounds amazing. Not much leftovers though... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif
Well I had reserved some of the fat and skin trimmings so tonight we get salt and pepper duck cracklings ... and some more duck fat!!!
OK @Nicko there's a little meat left on the bones and I'll try making Rillettes! How would I go about it from a roasted duck cracass? Do I have to first steam it for a while to losen the meat off the bone and make it more moist? I've never made rillettes before.
Edit: Googled around and found this. Sounds delicious. Steaming: what was I thinking. When I have all that duck fat in my fridge!! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif
Take all the leftover meat from the duck carcass you may have leftover from making a duck. Cook at a very low heat in the duck fat. When it is meltingly tender after an hour or so, remove it from the heat and shred the meat. Combine with the garlic and spices and liquor and green peppercorns. Put into a crock and try to have the fat cover the meat. Let it sit for a day or two to meld the flavors. Serve at room temperature on bread. You can also serve it with cornichons and mustard if you wish.
Carcass simmering in duck fat, resulting rillettes with green peppercorns, cognac, mace, black and white pepper, bit of garlic, and last pic is the rillettes sealed with duck fat. Thanks @Nicko for the rillettes idea!! How long do you think this'll keep in the fridge? I didn't do any sterilization or anything...
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