Roast Marinated Long Island Duck with Duck Liver Crostini and Green Olives

Adapted By StarChefs

Yield: 4 servings

Duck and Marinade

• 2-5 pound Long Island ducks
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon mustard seeds
• 1 Tablespoon dried rosemary, or 1/2 Tablespoon dried
• 1 Tablespoon cracked black pepper
• 1/2 cup white onion, diced
• 1 Tablespoon garlic, chopped
• Vegetable oil

• Wings, neck and gizzards from trimming ducks
• 1/4 cup shallots, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup celery, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 cups red wine
• 2 cups chicken stock (low-sodium canned broth may be used)
• 1-2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 20 large Sicilian green olives, pitted

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 head escarole, cut into quarters through the core and washed
• 1/2 cup white onion, thinly sliced
• 1 Tablespoon garlic, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped, or 1/2 Tablespoon dried
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Crostini

• Four 1/2-inch slices rustic Italian bread or baguette
• Extra virgin olive oil for brushing bread
• 2 duck livers, trimmed and cut in half
• 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Garnish

• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)

For the duck, preheat oven to 325°F. Mix all the marinade ingredients except the duck and vegetable oil together in a large bowl.

Cut off the wing tips from the duck and reserve. Remove the paper sack and the neck from the cavity of the birds. Cut open the sack and take out the contents (liver and gizzards) and set aside. Cut off the fatty neck flaps and the edges around the cavity of the ducks. Poke the skin of the birds all over with a fork. Roll the birds all around in the marinade, allowing it to flow into the cavities. Set the birds on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour the remaining marinade over the birds. Pour 1 inch of water in the bottom of the roasting pan to keep any drippings from burning. Roast for about 3 1/2 hours, turning the pan once halfway through the roasting. The ducks should be dark brown and rendered of just about all the fat. Let rest 20 minutes before carving. If you are going to serve the ducks later, allow the birds to cool completely. Then spilt the ducks down the middle, through the breast bone and on either side of the back bone. Remove all the bones except the remaining wing bone and drumstick.

To serve, heat two large frying pans with 1/4 inch vegetable oil. Season the insides of the duck halves with salt and pepper and place, skin side down in the pans. Cover and cook over medium heat until the skin is crisp and the meat is heated through.

For the sauce, chop the wing tips and neck into 3-inch pieces. Heat a large frying pan over moderate heat. Add the bones and brown well. Pour off any excess fat. Add the gizzards and vegetables, excluding the livers, and brown well. Add the herbs and wine and reduce to a glaze. Add the chicken stock and reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Strain. There should be about 3/4 cup. Season with salt, pepper and vinegar. Add the olives.

For the escarole, preheat oven to 325°F. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Sear the escarole. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add rosemary and chicken stock. Cover and braise in the oven for 45 minutes, or until tender and the liquid is absorbed.

For the crostini, preheat a grill or broiler. Brush the bread slices with olive oil. Grill or broil the slices until toasted and brown. Meanwhile, heat 1/4-inch olive oil in a medium frying pan. Season the livers with salt and pepper. Sear on both sides in the oil. Push the livers to the side and add the sliced red onion. Remove the livers when they're done and continue cooking the onions until tender. Add the garlic and cook an additional 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, set the crisp duck halves, breast facing forward, on four plates. Put a crostini, topped with liver and onions, and piece of escarole at the back of each plate. Pour the sauce around the birds, and if desired, garnish with rosemary sprigs.

Wine Suggestion
Oakville Ranch Merlot Napa 1996