Braised Duck
Anatra in Umido
Region: Italy, Veneto
Category: Fowl
Season: Winter
Difficulty: Easy

This anatra in umido, stewed or braised duck, is a slow-cooked preparation from the provinces Belluno and Verona and is most appetizing when the weather gets cool in the fall.  Ducks are popular and common on the table of many homes and trattoria in the province of Belluno as well as other regions of the Veneto and Lombardy.  Lake Garda and other lakes are in this region and one will encounter many different dishes for a variety of water fowl such as teal, coot, or snipe.  It is important when cooking duck that you pay attention to the fat otherwise your dish will be too greasy.  Remove as much fat as you can before cooking, then the duck is roasted before being stewed to render even more fat.  The finished dish is tender, flavorful, and satisfying especially when served with soft, freshly made polenta or boiled white beans.

Yield: 4 servings
Preparation Time: 2 1/2 hours

One 5-pound duck

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 celery stalks, finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, scraped and finely chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup water

6 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

2. Cut the duck into eight pieces with a cleaver or large and heavy chef's knife.  Remove the skin and fat from each piece.  Place the skin and fat on a rack in a baking dish and bake until crispy, about 1 hour.  Save the fat for another use and save the skin to serve later if desired.

3. In a flameproof casserole, heat the olive oil with the butter over medium-high heat, then lightly brown the duck on all sides, about 10 minutes.  Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon and set aside.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the celery, onion, and carrot.  Cook until the vegetables are soft and mushy looking, about 12 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom as you do, and add the tomato paste mixed with water, and the parsley.  Season with salt and pepper and stir.

4. Return the duck to the casserole and once the sauce starts to simmer again, cover, reduce the heat to very low, or use a heat diffuser, and cook the duck until tender, about 2 hours.  Serve immediately.

Variation: 

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Posted: 01/02/2018