Wild Duck as Cooked in the Valleys (Veneto)

Meat

Ingredients

Wild duck- 1

Wine vinegar- 2 1/2 cups

Thyme - pinch

Marjoram - pinch

Salt

Butter- 1/2 cup

Bacon- 4-5 slices

Onion, finely chopped - 1

Anchovy fillets, finely chopped - 3

Capers, finely chopped - 4 tsp

Dry white wine - 1 1/4 cups

Draw the duck and wash it quickly in cold water. Put it into a bowl with the wine vinegar and a good pinch of thyme and marjoram. Leave to marinate for 12 hours.

Drain the duck thoroughly, wipe it dry and sprinkle its cavity with salt. Spread the duck with half the butter. Cover its breast with the bacon slices and secure them with toothpicks, skewers or thread. Place on a rack in a roasting pan with a little hot water in the bottom of the pan. Roast in a hot oven (450F) basting two or three times with its own juices - it should not cook longer than 20 minutes, less for those who like wild duck really underdone.

While the duck is cooking, heat the remaining butter and saute the onion, anchovies and capers gently.

Take the duck from the oven and cut it into serving portions. Add these, together with the wine, to the simmering onion mixture, and continue cooking very slowly until the wine is reduced.

Serves 3-4