Recipe Sections
2 whole No. 19 Luv-a-Ducks
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 cup mixed herbs (sage, thyme & parsley)
1.5 litres of Luv-a-Duck stock (3 packets)
SAUCE:
1 med onion sliced
2 cloves garlic peeled
1/2 cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
1 slice white bread
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
1 red capsicum chopped into chunks
3 chipotles (Mexican smoked jalapino chilli)
1/3 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp dried thyme
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
3 bay leaves
1 tsp sugar
3 tblsp vegetable oil
salt and pepper
Trim the duck of any extra fat, and cut down to 10 pieces, placing them in a large saucepan with the sliced onion, herbs, bay leaves, stock and salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2 hours. Take out the duck and strain broth through a sieve, discarding the solids and then chill with duck put back in.
When cold, skim off the fat that has risen to the top.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet and fry the duck pieces, skin side down, until the duck skin is very brown. Remove the duck.
Tear the dried chillies into flat pieces and scorch them in a small frypan with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Transfer the chillies to a small bowl of boiling water and soak them for 30 minutes (weighing them down to keep them under water. Drain the same frypan of most oil then fry the sliced onion and garlic until they are golden brown. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl to cool. To the same pan, add the pumpkin seeds and roast them until they have popped and are golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Set aside 1/3 cup for garnish and add the remainder to the onion mixture. Grind the allspice, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, thyme and add these spices to onion mixture, together with the torn bread, peanuts, chipotle and 1 1/2 cups of duck stock and mix well. Puree the mixture, adding extra stock if necessary to help the mixture puree nicely. Transfer the sauce to a medium saucepan and heat gently stirring constantly, until the sauce reduces a little and darkens in colour. Add 2 cups of remaining stock and mix well then simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce is the consistency of pouring cream. Season with the sugar and salt if necssary. Preheat the oven to 180c. Place the duck pieces, skin side up, in a large baking dish then pour the hot sauce over and around the duck. Cover and bake for 20 minutes then add the chopped red capsicum. Bake for a further 10 minutes or until the duck is fork-tender. Tip the pan and spoon off any accumulated fat on top of the sauce, then serve.