Today marks Beaujolais Nouveau Day! For our recipe of the week we have trawled the archives and turned to the influential cookery writer that is Elizabeth David. We have chosen Canard aux Navets as duck is the perfect accompaniment with a glass (or bottle) of Beaujolais Nouveau.
This recipe is taken from French Country Cooking.
Canard aux Navets
At the bottom of a fireproof casserole, of the size to hold the duck comfortably, arrange 3 or 4 slices of bacon, 2 onions cut in rounds, 2 or 3 carrots also in rounds, a bay leaf and a small stick of celery.
Place the trussed and seasoned duck on this bed and braise it gently for 10 to 15 minutes, then pour a glass of white wine over it and let it reduce, add 2 glasses of brown stock and continue cooking very gently with the lid on. A medium-sized duck will take about 1¼ hours. When the duck is cooked take it out and keep it hot. Put the contents of the pan through a sieve, making a fairly thick brown sauce; skim off the fat as much as possible.
Return to the sauce and the duck to the pan, and place all round it 2 or 3 dozen baby turnips which you have prepared while the duck is braising, cooked exactly as for Navets Glacés (see below).
Let the whole dish get very hot and serve it in a casserole.
Navets Glacés
Put small, whole, peeled turnips (as nearly as possible the same size) into boiling salted water and cook them for 10 to 15 minutes until they are nearly ready. Drain them, put them into a small buttered dish which will bear the heat of the flame, sprinkle them with caster sugar, put more butter on the top and 2 or 3 tablespoons of the water in which they have cooked, and put the dish on a very low fire until the sauce turns brown and slightly sticky. Watch carefully to see that it doesn’t burn. Spoon a little of the glaze over each turnip and serve as they are, in the same dish.
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