Title: Salmis De Cuisses De Canard (Duck Legs in Red Wine Sauce)
Categories: Entree Poultry French Casserole
Yield: 4 Servings

4		Duck legs, complete
2	tb	Armagnac (1)
150	g	Lean salt pork;*
5	lg	Shallots
10	md	Garlic cloves
6	tb	Flour
750	ml	Red wine, full bodied dry
3		Parsley sprigs;} tied
1		Thyme sprig; } together
1		Bay leaf } in bouquet
1	pn	Sugar
		S&P
OPTIONAL GARNISH
12		French bread rounds **
		Poultry fat
		Parsley; finely chopped

NB * Use salt pork belly, or unsmoked belly bacon, blanched 3 mins in boiling water then cubed. ** The french bread rounds can be toasted in the oven or browned in poultry fat.

The preparation of this recipe is spread over 3 or 4 days, but after the first day, takes about 5 minutes work a day.

3 or 4 days before serving, therefore, trim all excess fat from the legs (thawed if frozen) and render it. With a thin bladed very sharp knife, just score the fatty skin, without piercing the flash. In a large frying pan, over low heat, heat the rendered fat. Add the legs, skin side down and allow them to brown in the exuding fat, about three minutes a side. Brown the legs in batches if necessary. Pour off all the fat in the pan, making sure to leave the crusty bits back. Return any legs to the pan, and pour over the first batch of Armagnac (1), and light it as it sizzles. Shake the pan over heat until the flames die down. Remove the legs from the pan and place in an earthenware or enamelled cast iron casserole (dutch oven). In the work bowl of a food processor, chop the salt pork/bacon, shallots and garlic finely. (Pour a little fat back into the frying pan and IH) scrape up any crusty bits in the base of the pan. Stir in the chopped mixture. Cook until all is lightly browned around the edges. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring continuously for about a minute. The flour will turn the mixture into a ball. Gradually add the red wine, about a glassful at a time, stirring it carefully into the floury mixture to make as smooth a paste as possible. Continue adding the wine little by little, stirring the while. This must be done very slowly so that the flour will completely absorb the wine and the sauce will thicken properly. Whan all the wine is added and the sauce is smooth, bring to the boil and give it a boil for a minute, while preparing the bouquet garni. Bury the bouquet of herbs amongst the duck legs and pour over the sauce. Sprinkle over the sugar, together with pepper and a little salt (remember the salt pork has lots). Lay over a sheet of buttered greaseproof paper or foil and then cover tightly. Cook over a very low heat 1 hour. The wine should just "shudder" no more. This can be done in a preheated cool oven at 275F 140C or less. Allow to cool, uncovered, then cover and refrigerate overnight. The following day, remove all fat from the surface. Cover again and allow to reach room temperature and then place in a cold oven. Heat to 275F/140C and cook 1 1/2 hours. Uncover, cool, cover again and refrigerate overnight. The third day, repeat the procedure, but cook cooler, at 224F 110C for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. If this the day of service, it may be necessary to cook longer to get the legs really tender (though not stringy). Keep warm. If you started cooking 4 days beforehand, cool uncovered as before, and refrigerate overnight. The day of service, start reheating long enough ahead to finish cooking if needed. Duck legs can very in tenderness, so some flexibility is sensible. If using the bread round garnish, pepare the rounds of French Bread, either by toasting in the oven, or by frying golden in duck fat. Just before serving, and when the sauce is hot, correct the seasoning. If using, dip one end of each bread round into the sauce, then into the chopped parsley in a small bowl. Decorate the serving platter with these rounds.

IH notes. According to Gascon tradition, the secret of a great salmis lies in the reheating over a 3-4 day period. Because the sauce is degreased, it is lighter than one might think. The flesh is meltingly tender and not at all mushy. The extra work is minimal and the results amply justify it. The sauce is, quite frankly, sensational. If a more refined sauce is wanted, then you could strain it on the last day, pressing it well to extract all the flavours before the final seasoning.

Paula Wolfert recommends serving this with fried cornmeal cakes (USA cornbread would substitute well). IH would prefer the potato cakes called Milhassou, but even new potatoes would be excellent.

Recipe Paula Wolfert "The Cookery of South West France" after Roger Duffour. MMed etc IMH c/o Goerges' Home BBS 2:323/4.4

From: Ian Hoare Date: 06 Sep 97 National Cooking Echo Ä

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