Duck Liver

duck liver

January 9th, 2011

I went to my butcher yesterday, to buy some Napoli sausages. I was delighted to find that they had huge ducks (about 6lb in weight) for sale, with giblets, for £5! If you look at what they cost in a supermarket, you’ll see why I’m excited about the price.

I’ve already covered roast duck, but something I’ve only mentioned before, is the liver. When you have giblets in a bird, do make some homemade stock with them, but, while you do that (something I do on Sundays, when I get back from the farmers’ market, at  lunchtime), put the liver to one side, as it’s too good not to eat. Do take your duck out of the fridge at this point too – it needs a few hours to come to room temperature for cooking, especially at this time of year and it’s not like there are any flies around in January.

Gently fry your liver in some good olive oil or duck/goose fat. I did mine in olive oil which was infused with garlic and rosemary and ate it on brown, sour dough toast. Remember that foie gras is a large duck or goose liver – even though this duck was raised for eating (as opposed to, for foie gras) its liver is still delicious, even if it is small. It’s softer and more delicate than lamb’s liver. I recommend you fry up the liver from a goose too, if and when you get the opportunity – the one I cooked at Christmas was outstanding.

donald where’s your trousers

Don’t throw away any oil or fat remaining in your frying pan, you can pour it on to your duck before you stick it in the oven later. Do, also, use the fat that comes off your duck for cooking your roast potatoes – it’s good for you!

Other Duck posts:

The Bull and Last
Donostia Social Club
Duck Confit
Duck and Egg Mayonnaise
Duck and Mushrooms
Foie Gras
Magret de Canarde
Magret Seché
Mallard
Roast Duck
Turkey Stuffed with Duck and Rabbit

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