Merry Christmas – well it wasn’t for this little black duck!
No not me, the dinner. Have you ever Googled a recipe, shortlisted several and then had a go at making something wonderful? And it turned out to perfection with all your guests swooning over the delicious, absolutely the best in the world plate of ……something?
Well no such luck in my house this festive season.
A Dear Friend (she still is) rang me and said “The only great (sic) cook I know is you and someone gave me a duck. Would you like to cook it?”
DF has never had duck, even though it is very On Trend at the moment. I don’t like it, only cooked it once many years ago. Can’t see what all the fuss is about.
But DF was so sincere I felt I had to give it a go. Especially when she said as she didn’t know how to cook it, was going to put it in an oven bag – like a chook. No DF, that’s not the way you do duck.
So my turn to Google many recipes and shortlist a couple I thought might actually work. Mind you, the Plum Sauce I made was heaven…. But…..
Recipe in hand, about 1 and a half hours on a medium heat will roast this beautiful, delicately flavoured bird, the spicy plum sauce will add a piquancy to the Game taste.
Huh?
Ok so we worked through the 1 and a half hour, dry roast, aim for the crispy skin effect. I stuck the fork in, blood came out. Was a bit rare. Another 30 mins with oven going higher, still bloody. Now duck has to be served rare, but in this case he was still quacking in that damm oven. Which I had just discovered had broken a hinge and wasn’t holding together.
So grabbed a broom handle, propped the oven door shut, cranked her up and roasted it until it browned, then glazed the life out of it.
Came out looking Ah-mazing!
Then I had to cut it.
Have you ever tried carving a duck? Use and chainsaw and just save time. I sharpened the knives and sliced away. Carved away. Hacked away. Held it down with one arm and tried to machete-hack chunks out of it. Finally l got enough to put a half dozen slices on a tasting plate. Pride of place centre of dining table.
Thankfully, knowing duck, I had cooked it more as a taste for DF and had an alternative main course on stand by.
“Just like Roast Beef” DF said. “Only tougher.Didn’t realise it was so much trouble! Glad I didn’t give it a go”
Everyone agreed the Plum sauce was ah-mazing.
The rest of the duck? Well didn’t want to waste it so DF wrapped it in foil to give to the Italian neighbours, I wondered how they went?
Oh for those that love Duck…….. let’s just call it an acquired taste which I haven’t acquired. Yet.
Have you ever had any of those “Googled Recipe stories?” Tell me about it.
