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Spiced Duck
Using a classic combination of mallard and orange cooks a dish that will tempt any wildfowler
Spiced duck: ingredients (serves 4)
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2 tsp ground ginger .
1 tsp sea salt, such as Maldon .  1 tsp ground pepper .
zest of 1 orange .
zest of 1 lemon .
1 heaped tbsp redcurrant jelly .
2 mallard, plucked and drawn .
3 tbs butter .
2 glasses of port .
2 oranges .
watercress
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Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Mix together the ginger, salt, pepper, zest and redcurrant jelly and rub all over the mallard. Allow to sit for 20 minutes or so.
2. Melt 2 tbsp of the butter. Place the mallard into a roasting tin and pour over the butter, then put the birds in the oven. Roast for 15 minutes. By now, the birds should be well browned and caramelised. Turn the oven down to 180°C. After another 10 minutes, pour the port into the roasting pan and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.
3. Once the mallard have cooked for 35 minutes in total, take the pan out of the oven and cover with a couple of layers of aluminium foil and a few tea towels. Allow to rest.
4. Meanwhile, make the watercress and orange salad. Cut the top and bottom off the orange, so that the flesh is exposed. Place the orange on a wooden board and, using a very sharp knife, cut a strip of peel off. You can then follow the pith with the knife, so that you are left with none of the bitter, tough parts. You should now be able to see the segments. Cut on each side of the segment skin to remove each segment.
5. By now, the mallard should have rested for at least 10 minutes. Take the birds out of the roasting tin and place on a serving plate, then arrange the watercress and orange segments around the duck.
6. Put the roasting pan on to a high heat. Scrape all the meaty juices together, add a glass of water and reduce slightly. Whisk in a tablespoon of butter, which will make the sauce shine, sieve to remove any peel, and serve.
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Welsh Woodcock
Ingredients (serves two)
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Woodcock (1⁄2 per person)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Paprika
Butter
One large onion (finely diced)
Mushrooms (sliced)
Fresh thyme (four teaspoonfuls)
Mead (see tips)
Double cream
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Method
1. Pluck, draw and clean your woodcock. Cut up either side of the backbone of the bird and remove the spine, neck and head. Pour a drizzle of olive oil into your hands, rub together and then coat the bird with the oil. Grind a good amount of black pepper and salt on to a plate. Add three teaspoonfuls of paprika and mix together and then cover the birds liberally in this mixture.
2. Into a lidded frying pan, melt 1oz of butter and, with the lid off, gently brown the bird either side. Remove the bird and add the onions, mushrooms and half the thyme and mix to allow it to soften. Once softened return the bird and pour in two glasses of mead. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes turning occasionally.
3. After 25 minutes remove the lid and increase the heat. Once boiling remove the woodcock to a serving plate. Add the remaining thyme and a splash of cream. Mix well and serve.
Tips
Mead is honey and water mixed together and fermented but you can also simply mix white wine and honey. Add a heaped teaspoonful of honey to the wine in the recipe while it cooks. Mead (Medd in Welsh) forms the root meaning of Meddyg (doctor) and Meddyginiaeth (medicine), so with medieval game being served this is truly healthy food. |
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Baked Plums
(in Madeira Syrup with Toasted Almonds)
Ingredients
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2lb of plums
6fl oz of Madeira
4 clementines
2oz of caster sugar
100g of flaked almonds
Mint for decoration
Real dairy ice-cream
Icing sugar for decoration |
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Method
Preheat the oven to 200c or gas mark 6.
In a saucepan, put the sugar, zest from one clementine and the juice of all four clementine’s and ½ pint of water.
Slowly bring to the boil then simmer for approximately 5 minutes.
Stir in the Madeira and remove from the heat.
Half and stone the plums and layer in a roasting tin, stone side up. Drizzle with the Madeira syrup and place in the oven for 10-12 minutes until just soft.
On a baking tray, place the flaked almonds and toast for 2-3 minutes, turning them half way. Using a slotted spoon, lift out the plums and place them onto a serving plate.
Place the roasting tin on the hob (or alternatively place the liquid in a saucepan), bring to the boil and then simmer until a light syrup consistency, approximately 8 minutes.
Pour the syrup over the plums and decorate with the flaked almonds, a sprig of mint and dust with icing sugar. Serve with a generous scoop of real dairy ice cream.
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