Mrs Beetons Poultry and Game Revisited
To Ragout a Duck Whole
1 Large Duck
Good Beef Gravy
2 Onions Sliced
4 Sage Leaves
Lemon Thyme Leaves, a few
Butter and Flour, to thicken
Salt and Pepper, to taste
After having emptied and singed the duck.
Season the inside with salt and pepper and truss it.
Roast it for about 20 minutes to acquire a nice brown colour.
Put it into a saucepan with enough well seasoned beef gravy to cover it.
Slice and fry the onions and add, with the sage leaves and lemon thyme, finely minced, to the stock.
Simmer gently until the duck is tender.
Strain, skim and thicken the gravy with a little butter and flour.
Boil, pour over the duck and serve.
When in season, about 900ml (1½ pints) of young green peas, boiled separately and put in the ragoût, very much improve this dish.
Time: 20 minutes to roast the duck, 20 minutes to stew it.
Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons.
Seasonable from November to February. Ducklings from April to August.
TO RAGOUT A DUCK WHOLE
933. INGREDIENTS - 1 large duck, pepper and salt to taste, good beef gravy, 2 onions sliced, 4 sage-leaves, a few leaves of lemon thyme, thickening of butter and flour.
Mode - After having emptied and singed the duck, season it inside with pepper and salt, and truss it. Roast it before a clear fire for about 20 minutes, and let it acquire a nice brown colour. Put it into a stewpan with sufficient well-seasoned beef gravy to cover it; slice and fry the onions, and add these, with the sage-leaves and lemon thyme, both of which should be finely minced, to the stock. Simmer gently until the duck is tender; strain, skim, and thicken the gravy with a little butter and flour; boil it up, pour over the duck, and serve. When in season, about, 1-1/2 pint of young green peas, boiled separately, and put in the ragoût, very much improve this dish.
Time - 20 minutes to roast the duck; 20 minutes to stew it.
Average cost, from 2s. 3d. to 2s. 6d. each.
Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons.
Seasonable from November to February; ducklings from April to August.
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