Italian Meat - Poultry and Game Recipes - Venetian Boiled Duck (Anatra col Pien) Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 kg/4 1/2 lb oven-ready duck

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 carrots, chopped

• 1 celery stick, chopped

• 45 ml/3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1.75 liters/3 pts/7 1/2 cups cold water

• 2 garlic cloves, sliced

• 100 g/4 oz/1 cup duck or chicken livers

• 2 bacon rashers (slices), rinded and chopped

• 60 ml/4 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs

• 1 egg, beaten

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Method:

1. Wash and dry the duck. Put the onion, carrots, celery and half the parsley into a large saucepan with the cold water and bring slowly to the boil.

2. Lower the heat and simmer. Blend the remaining parsley, garlic, duck or chicken livers, bacon rashers and breadcrumbs together with the egg in a small bowl.

3. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the liver and breadcrumb mix into the duck and sew up the bird with fine string.

4. Place the bird in the saucepan of stock and simmer for 2 1/2 hours until the bird is tender.

5. Remove the duck from the water and undo the stitching. Slide out the stuffing, slice and lay on a warm plate.

6. Joint the bird and slice the breast. Lay the meat on the stuffing and serve immediately.