At Aux Charpentiers, all the meat is carved from the bone in slices and presented on a platter surrounded by the sauce and accompanied by steamed baby potatoes. You might prefer to cut the duckling into four pieces and surround them with sauce, or to carve the crispy brown bird at the table and serve the sauce on the side. This dish is also excellent served with a combination of longgrain and wild rices.

Ingredients

• 1 4-½ pound duck
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ cups finely chopped carrots
• 1 ½ cups finely chopped onions
• 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• ½ cup peeled, chopped tomato
• ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 bouquet garni (1 sprig each of parsley and thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 3 whole cloves, tied in a square of cheesecloth)
• ½ cup brandy or cognac
• 1 ¼ cups dry white wine
• ½ cup pitted green olives, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Sprinkle the inside of the duck with salt and pepper•. Place duck, breast up, in a cold oven. Turn oven to 500°F. Turn duck over, breast to back, several times and cook for 55 minutes.• Remove duck from roasting pan and let sit 10 minutes before cutting into serving pieces.
2. Prepare a sauce by heating the oil in a casserole over medium heat and add the carrots, onions, and garlic. Cover and cook until vegetables are wilted but not browned.
3. Stir in the tomato. Add the cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, salt, pepper, and bouquet garni. Add the brandy and carefully ignite. Add the port and wine and bring to a boil. Lower heat and let sauce reduce for ½ hour.
4. Add 1/2 cup water and continue to cook for another ½ hour.
5. Strain the sauce into a pan.
6. Add the olives; bring to a boil and reduce until lightly thickened. (This sauce can be prepared an hour or two ahead of time, then reheated before serving).
7. When ready to serve, sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Notes

1. We have been visiting the Bistro Aux Charpentiers since the early 1990s and have always enjoyed this meal. Harty and tasty so it is especially great on a cold winter day.
2. This recipe is from Paris Bistro Cooking by Linda Dannenberg. We have carried this cookbook to Paris numerous times and have always had the chef sign their section and they always write such wonderful notes in the book.
3. As it relates to a wine pairing we always enjoy having champagne with this meal.

Reducing the sauce with the olives, port and everything else.

Caneton Rôti Sauce Olives et Ports (Roast Duckling with Olives and Port) plated and ready to serve.

We have had this cookbook since the early 1990s and have taken it to many of bistros in the book and have the chef’s sign our book. It has such memories.

Tradition de Delagne & Fils champagne