1209.—DUCK, HASHED. (Fr.—Canard au Vin Rouge.)
Ingredients.—1 Cold roast duck, 1 pint of stock, 1 oz. of butter, 1 oz. of flour, 1 orange, 1 onion, a glass of claret, salt, and pepper.
Method.—Divide the duck into pieces (joints) suitable for serving. Chop the onion finely, fry it in the butter, add the flour, stir over the fire until brown, then pour in the stock, stir until it boils, and simmer for 10 minutes. Cut the orange rind into very thin strips, add them with the juice of the orange, the wine and the duck to the sauce, season with salt and pepper, and simmer very gently for ½ an hour.
Time.—About 1 hour. Average Cost, 3s. 6d., to 4s. 6d. Sufficient, allow 1 duck for 4 persons. Seasonable from August to March.
Varieties of Ducks.—Among the numerous species and varieties of ducks are the Canvas-back duck, a native of North America, and highly esteemed for the table; the Muscovy-duck, an erroneous form of musk-duck (Cairina moschata), a native of South America, but domesticated in Europe. It is larger than the common duck, and possesses a peculiar musky smell. The Shoveller duck, an inhabitant of our island in the winter, is chiefly remarkable for its long bill and hooked widely-broadened tip. The plumage of the back is brown, with green on the head and neck. Its eggs are dirty-white tinted with green. The Pintail, which takes its name from the long tapering form of the tail of the male bird, inhabits Britain and the South of Europe in winter. The plumage of the pintail is brown, with white and black lines, and its flesh is palatable.
1210.—DUCK AND RED CABBAGE. (Fr.—Canard au Chou rouge.)
Ingredients.—Remains of 2 or 3 cold ducks, ½ a red cabbage, 2 ozs. of butter, good gravy or stock, 1 tablespoonful of vinegar, salt and pepper.
Method.—Wash and drain the cabbage, and shred it finely. Heat the butter in a stewpan, put in the cabbage and a good seasoning of salt and pepper, cover closely, and cook gently for 1 hour, adding a little gravy or stock if necessary to prevent burning. Divide the ducks into neat joints, place them in a stewpan with just sufficient hot gravy or stock to barely cover them, put on a close-fitting lid, and allow the stewpan to stand just below simmering point for nearly 1 hour. When ready, add the vinegar to the cabbage, turn it on to a hot dish, arrange the duck neatly upon it, and serve with a little good gravy, either poured round or handed separately.
Time.—About 1 hour. Average Cost, 6d., exclusive of the ducks. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. Seasonable, September to January.
American Mode of Capturing Ducks.—Various methods of capturing ducks are employed on the rivers in America. Sometimes half a dozen artificial birds are fastened to a little raft, so weighted that the sham birds squat naturally in the water, and attract the notice of a passing flock of the wild ducks, which fall an easy prey to the fowling-piece of the hunter, concealed in ambush. Another method is pursued in the winter time by the fowler of the Delaware when the water is covered with rubble ice. He paints his canoe entirely white, lies down in the bottom of it, and floats with the broken ice; the ducks being unable to distinguish between the colour of the canoe and that of the ice. As soon as the fowler recognizes by the quacking, fluttering, and whirring, of wings that he is in the midst of a flock he rises up suddenly, discharges his gun, and scatters a deadly leaden shower among the surprised birds.
