Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

1 lb Small carrots, peeled and 2 Small apples, quartered
-trimmed 1 c Cranberry juice cocktail
1 lb Small parsnips, peeled and 1/2 c Dry red wine
-trimmed, or medium-size 1/4 c Sugar
-parsnips, cut into 3-by 8 Whole cloves
-1/2-inch sticks 2 Bosc pears, peeled, halved,
2 tb Olive oil -and cored
1/4 ts Salt 1 Small onion, finely chopped
1/4 ts Ground black pepper 1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted bufter,
2 3-lb farm-raised ready-to -cut up
-roast mallard ducks Watercress sprigs (opt.)

1. In 4-quart saucepan, heat 2 inches water to boiling. Add carrots
and parsnips; cover and return water to boiling. Simmer root
vegetables over low heat 15 minutes to partially cook. Remove root
vegetables with slotted spoon to a small baking pan. (Set aside pan
of cooking water.) Add oil, 1/8 t salt, and 1/2 t pepper to
vegetables; toss and set aside.

2. Remove necks, giblets, and discard any fat from duck cavities.
Rinse ducks, necks, and giblets; pat dry. To reserved pan of cooking
water, add necks and giblets of ducks and remaining salt and pepper.
Heat to boiling; simmer covered, over low heat 45 minutes.

3. Heat oven to 400'F. Insert 2 apple quarters into neck and body
cavities of each duck; twist wings back and under ducks to hold neck
skin in place. Tie legs of each duck together. With fork, pierce
breast skin. Arrange ducks, breast sides down, on wire rack in large
roasting pan. Roast ducks 15 minutes with pan of root vegetables.
Turn ducks and continue to roast 15 to 25 minutes ]onger or until
breast meat is set but still red and moist when cut in the center of
the thickest part.

4. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat cranberry juice, wine, sugar,
and cloves to boiling. Add pears; cover and return to boiling. Simmer
pears over low heat 7 to 1O minutes or just until fork tender.
Transfer pears to plate. Strain and reserve 1/4 C pear poaching
liquid.

5. Drain juices from body cavities of ducks into roasting pan. Discard
apple quarters. Transfer ducks and root vegetables to platter-cover
and keep warm. Pour giblet broth into roasting pan; heat to boiling,
stirring to loosen browned-on bits. Strain broth mixture into large
measuring cup; discard fat on top and pour 3/4 C broth into skillet.
Add onion and cook over high heat 1 minute. Add 3/4 C reserved pear
poaching liquid. Boil rapidly until mixture is reduced to about 2/3
cup or a syrupy consistency. Turn heat to low and add butter,
stirring until it blends in. Pour sauce into a pitcher, Garnish ducks
with watercress, if desired, and serve with pears.

Country Living/November/91 Scanned fixed by DP and GG

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