BRAISED DUCK WITH OLIVES

Braised Duck With Olives image

Provided by Jason Epstein

Time 1h45m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

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1 Pekin duck, about 3 1/2 pounds
Salt and pepper
5 branches fresh thyme
5 stalks fresh rosemary
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups pinot noir or similar red wine or port
2 medium carrots, scraped and sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 small onion, quartered
2 bay leaves
Thinly peeled rind of 1 lemon
8 ounces picholine or similar green olives, pitted
1 teaspoon flour (optional)
1 teaspoon butter, melted (optional)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Remove the duck's wings, giblets and neck; rinse inside and out and dry. Prick the skin of the breast and thighs with a fork. Lightly season the inside with salt and pepper; stuff with thyme and rosemary.
Place duck, breast side down, in a large Dutch oven (preferably enamel-lined) over medium heat and brown on all sides, spooning off the fat as it renders.
Bring stock and wine to a boil in a small pan; pour over the duck. Add the vegetables, bay leaves, lemon rind and several grindings of pepper. Cover; braise in oven until the leg meat is firm and the breast brown throughout, about 1 hour.
Remove duck and cover loosely. Strain the stock, discard the vegetables and spoon off the fat. Boil stock until reduced to about 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Add the olives for the final 3 to 4 minutes. (You may thicken stock slightly with a roux of flour and butter.) Adjust seasonings.
To serve, thinly slice the breast lengthwise. Separate legs from thighs. Pour on sauce.