Duck sauce with dried cherries

Yield: 4 servings

Measure Ingredient
4 pounds Duck; cut into four pieces
1 cup Olive oil
2 cups Onion; thinly sliced
5 \N Garlic cloves; chopped
¼ cup Chopped fresh Italian parsley
¼ cup Chopped celery leaves
3 cups Chopped ripe tomatoes
¼ cup Dry marsala
1¾ cup Dry red wine
½ cup Brandy
2 \N Whole Cloves
2 \N Bay leaves
¼ teaspoon Nutmeg; freshly grated
2 \N Fresh rosemary sprigs
\N \N (or 1/2 tbspn dried rosemary)
2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
1 cup Dried sour cherries - pitted if possible; see * Note 1
\N \N Freshly-ground black pepper; to taste
\N \N Salt; to taste
1 \N Dumplings - {Njoki}; see * Note 2

* Note 1: Available in Middle Eastern markets or in fancy food shops. * Note 2: See the "Dumplings - {Njoki}" recipe which is included in this collection.

Soak the cherries in ½ cup of warm brandy for 1 hour, reserving the brandy. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the duck pieces in the skillet and brown well to melt off the fat. Remove the duck and drain off most of the fat and oil, reserving ¼ cup. Add the reserved oil to a 6 quart covered ovenproof casserole and saute the onion and garlic until tender. Add the parsley and celery leaves and saute for a few more minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the marsala, red wine and seasonings and bring to a boil. Add the duck pieces, cover and cook in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 2 hours or until the duck meat falls from the bones. Remove the casserole from the oven and place it on the stovetop to cook enough to remove all the bones from the duck quarters. Be careful about the little bones! Return the meat to the pot and add the cherries, along with the brandy. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce reduces and thickens, about 15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over njoki, pasta or rice.

Comments: This is really much more of a very heavy gravy than it is a normal duck dish. I find it delightful and it is just as good on pasta and rice as it is on the njoki for which it is intended.

Recipe Source: THE FRUGAL GOURMET by Jeff Smith From the 10-09-1991 issue - The Springfield Union-News

Formatted for MasterCook by Joe Comiskey, aka MR MAD - jpmd44a@...

~or- MAD-SQUAD@...

07-18-1994

Recipe by: Jeff Smith

Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

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