The American Favorites section is where we have placed recipes for dishes that have become American favorites; these recipes are for foods that are enjoyed by many people throughout this great country of ours. In this particular section, I won't assign a specific part of the country as being the origin of the recipe.
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A 5- to 6-pound duck, cut into ½ c thinly sliced carrot
quarters ¾ c celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
Duck giblets Herb bouquet of 6 sprigs parsley
4 c orange juice, fresh or frozen and 1 bay leaf, tied together
4 c chicken stock, fresh or canned ½ tsp thyme
1 c thinly sliced onion
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In a 4- or 5-quart casserole, combine the duck, the giblets, orange juice
and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, skim off all the surface scum and froth,
then add the onion, carrot, celery, herb bouquet and thyme. Season with salt
if you think it necessary. Half cover the casserole, reduce the heat to its
lowest point and simmer the duck for about 1½ hours, or until tender. Then
cut the skin and duck meat away from the bones and return the skin and bones
to the casserole. Simmer the broth about ½ hour longer. Cut the duck meat
into ½- by ¾-inch pieces and refrigerate.
Aspic
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin 2 tsp lemon juice
½ c cold chicken stock or water 2 egg whites
10 whole peppercorns Peel of 2 navel oranges cut into
Peel of 2 oranges, coarsely chopped tiny slivers and blanched
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THE ASPIC: Strain the entire contents of the casserole broth through a
fine sieve, pressing down on the vegetables and duck parts to extract all
their liquid before throwing them away. Measure the broth. You should have
4 cups. If less, add chicken stock; if more, boil down rapidly to 4 cups.
Skim the surface of the broth of every bit of fat you can (this is easier
if you chill the broth first until the fat rises and congeals on the
surface), then return the broth to a 3- or 4-quart saucepan. Soften the
gelatin in the ½ cup of cold stock or water for 5 minutes, then stir it
into the broth. To clarify the aspic, add the peppercorns, the coarsely
chopped orange peel and the lemon juice, then beat the egg whites to a
froth with a wire whisk and whisk them into the broth. Bring to a boil over
moderate heat, whisking constantly. When the aspic begins to froth and rise,
remove the pan from the heat. Let it rest 5 minutes, then strain it into a
deep bowl through a fine sieve lined with a dampened kitchen towel. Allow
all the aspic to drain through without disturbing it at any point. The aspic
should now be brilliantly clear. Taste for seasoning and add salt if
necessary. Pour the aspic into a 1½-quart ring mold and set the mold in a
bowl in crushed ice. Stir with a metal spoon until it becomes thick and
syrupy (don't allow it to set), then mix into it the duck meat and slivers
of orange peel. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or until firmly set.When you are ready to serve it, run a thin, sharp knife around the insides of the mold (including the cone), and dip the bottom in hot water for a few seconds. Then wipe the outside of the mold dry, place a large, chilled, circular serving plate upside down over the mold and, grasping both firmly, quickly turn plate and mold over. Rap them sharply on the table and the aspic should slide out. If it doesn't, repeat the process.
Fill the center of the aspic ring with the orange and onion salad, and arrange extra orange slices around the ring if you wish.
Orange and Onion Salad
2 T wine vinegar 4 navel oranges, peeled, and either
½ tsp salt thinly sliced or sectioned
Freshly ground black pepper 2 red onions, peeled, thinly sliced
6 T olive oil and separated into rings
½ tsp lemon juice
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ORANGE and ONION SALAD: In a large mixing bowl, beat the wine vinegar,
salt, a few grindings of black pepper, the olive oil and lemon juice with
a wire whisk or fork until they are all well combined. Add the oranges and
onions, and toss them together gently. Taste for seasoning. Serves 6.
