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Roast Duck With Cashew Stuffing
(Vath (syrian Christian))
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| What You Need: |
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˝ cup unsalted cashew nuts
A 4˝ -to 5-pound duck
3˝ teaspoons salt
The liver, heart and gizzard of the duck
1˝ cups bread cubes made from homemade-type white bread, trimmed of all crusts, and cut into ˝ -inch dice
2 hard-cooked eggs, shelled and cut lengthwise into quarters
1 tablespoon seedless raisins
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
The seeds of 8 whole cardamom pods or ˝ teaspoon cardamom seeds
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
˝ teaspoon ground cumin
˝ teaspoon anise seeds
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
A 1-inch piece of scraped, fresh ginger root, cut into paper-thin slivers
˝ teaspoon turmeric
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1 fresh hot green chili, about 3 inches long, washed and cut into ˝ -inch rounds with the seeds intact
˝ teaspoon ground hot red pepper
2 tablespoons melted ghee
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Drop the cashews into a small bowl or pan, pour in 2 cups of boiling water, and soak them for at least 15 minutes. Wash the duck under cold running water and pat it completely dry inside and out with paper towels. Rub both the breast and neck cavity and the skin with 2 teaspoons of the salt and set the duck aside.
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2. Chop the liver, heart and gizzard fine. Combine the bread, eggs, raisins, coriander, sugar, vinegar and black pepper in a deep bowl, and toss them about gently with a spoon until they are well mixed. Pulverize the cardamom seeds with a mortar and pestle or drop them into a bowl and crush them fine with the back of a spoon.
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3. In a heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet, heat the vegetable oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above. Stir in the cumin, anise seeds, onions, garlic, ginger and 1 teaspoon of salt and, stirring frequently, fry for 7 or 8 minutes, until the onions are soft and golden brown. Watch carefully for any signs of burning and regulate the heat accordingly.
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4. Stirring well after each addition, add the chopped duck liver, the heart and the gizzard, the turmeric, cardamom, tomatoes and green chili. Cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes, until the giblets are lightly browned.
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5. With a rubber spatula, scrape the entire contents of the skillet over the bread-and-egg mixture and turn them about gently with the spatula or a spoon until they are thoroughly combined. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Drain the cashews in a sieve or colander and chop them fine.
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6. Stir the nuts and red pepper into the bread mixture. With a trussing needle or small skewer, gently prick the skin of the duck at about 1-inch intervals all over its surfaces. Spoon the nut-stuffing mixture loosely into the breast and neck cavities, and sew the openings securely with heavy thread.
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7. Truss the bird securely and place it on its side on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast in the middle of the oven for 10minutes, then turn the duck on its other side and roast 10 minutes longer. Reduce the heat to 350°F, turn the duck breast side up and roast for about 1 hour and 40 minutes, basting the bird occasionally with the ghee.
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8. To test the bird for doneness, pierce the thigh of the duck with the point of a small, sharp knife. The juice that trickles out should be a clear yellow; if the juice is still slightly tinged with pink, continue roasting the bird for another 5 to 10 minutes.
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9. Transfer the duck to a heated platter and let it rest for about 10 minutes for easier carvmg.
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