Another Day another Duck!

Bugger! My heart fell at the sight of another duckling flopped on the front lawn, both dogs circling. Neither giving the game away.

Cradling the little dead thing in my arms I realised yet again that since coming to live in the country I'd held well over 10 dead animals or birds in my hands. Life and Death. I am coming to terms with it in a very real way. I love these creatures while they are alive like treasured little parts of the family. But once dead, my pioneer spirit rises and my need to turn valuable game into delectable fare comes to the fore.

 

This second plucking, using the hot water and dish liquid method was much quicker. (Simply dunk and swirl your bird in hot water 150F that has a good slosh of dish liquid. Hold head in one hand, grasp feathers and rip downwards in direction of growth.) I gutted the bird with one single swoop of my fingers inside the cavity this time. After a day drying out in the fridge, uncovered, I quartered and used the same Nigel Slater inspired dish as before. Oh me of little faith added to chicken quarters to the pot just in case as there were three of us. They made a nice lunch next day!

               *This last picture shows the quartered bird browned and ready for braising in the oven.

 After checking we found the electric fence was shorting and not shocking as it should hence said dogs or said ducks have ventured into territory not conducive to duck longevity. As I write the fence is back to its shocking best! Fingers crossed it stays that way. I don't think I'm up to another plucking this weekend!!

The Oyster Weekend: How To Eat Oysters

Click here to check out recent post from Charlotte Broadbents fab foodie blog "The Oyster Weekend"

How To Eat Oysters: A brief guide to the fine art of oyster eating. Step 1: On a sunny afternoon bundle dogs, family, friends, and a chilly bin full of oyste...

Fire Fire Dailling 111

 

I was just thinking how gorgeous life in the country is, as I wandered out to my 'Ugly Shed' to do some work, when sniff sniff...I smelt woodsmoke!

In a nanosecond I realised that the whole valley was wreathed in thick smoke billowing all over the place in the light breeze. Leaping up on top of the stile for a higher view, I saw smoke was coming from the direction of an unoccupied house up the hill from us. With more speed than agility I hurdled the neighbours fence and puffed up the hill under her pines to find the source crackling away amongst dense native bush behind the lovely old home. Calling out across the property I got no response.

Diving back into the neighbours home I dialled 111 and told my story which was hindered severely by not being able to give the address of the fire. Racing back home I grabbed the dogs and keys and shot up the road to find the driveway of the property. Still no sign of the Fire Engine. Once I'd noted the address I shot back to my neighbours, called 111 to be told the engine was on site. Well derrr.. no it wasn't, because by then I'd clambered back up the hill and called while standing watching the smoke billowing out of the bush unhindered.

Finally a very handsome...! fireman arrived at my neighbours and we both sprinted back up the property so he could leap the fence and find the fire source and direct the engine in.

By then the smoke was abating and we ascertained that there was a gardener on the property. I apologised to the Fireman who, in no uncertain terms, said, "You did exactly what we want people to do. Always call us first". He reiterated that we do have a fire ban, we are in a worse drought than last year and the stand of bush encloses several houses. He took the call very seriously.

Relieved I retreated home for a cuppa and quietly observed that there is never a dull moment living this rural life. Just yesterday Pip drove out our driveway at 6am to find it blocked by two ambulances with lights flashing. Neighbour Barb was off to hospital with a dislocated hip!

Hopefully my afternoon in "Ugly shed" will be uneventful. 

This Duck's day is Done!

If you are squeamish don't read this one please!
Yesterday my baby ducks had their first taste of paddock life. Cautiously at first, they whistled and chirped discovering lush grass under the copper beech and cool brown pond water to dip and dive in. Under the watchful eye of Mum Missy the nine little quakers fended off pecks and shoves from their two Daddies, Boss and Alex. By days end Missy had lost all her long wing feathers, mainly pecked out by dear little gentle Waddle whose suffering from sterile egg syndrome! Minor panic ensued when I could only find five ducklings swimming, the other four completely disappeared. After headless chook half hour of searching the undergrowth for carcasses and berating myself for letting them out I found the lost four sleeping in their duck house safe and sound!

Another pearl perfect morning today so the ducklings were encouraged back into the paddock. They waddled down to the pond and zoomed around on the water, flapping and diving and generally doing ducky stuff. Leaving them to nature I attended to some computer work.

Lachie's barking should have alerted me but he barks at butterflies and leaf crackles so I just hollered out 'be quiet Lachie". Derrrr. What he was really saying was 'my sister is eating your duckling'

Horrified I found one of my babies very dead under the mandarin tree with Tess and Lachie standing over it. Clasping its warm little body in my arms, its little broken neck supported by my hand I looked up to find Mother Missy eyeing me from the close by the fence. "So Sorry Missy, your baby is dead".

Quickly, I placed the dead baby on the kitchen bench and found both dogs who were sternly placed in the respective dog boxes. Furious with myself and them and the cruelty of nature but determined not to let its death be in vain after all I'd been twice daily feeding these little guys for 8 weeks or so now.

My settler genes took over as I held the warm dead duckling and plucked out its feathers, surprised how easily the feathers ripped away leaving fuzzy down before I shaved that off with a sharp knife.

Eventually I had a bag full of downy feathers and a naked bird. After quick online consultation and scheduled trip to the physio, I returned to gut my duck. My Dad taught us to gut fish as kids, I've boned out rabbits but this was my first time doing a freshly killed bird so was surprised how easy it was.

My baby duck did not die in vain. It will make a lovely little roast tonight!

Two days later PS: Here's my recipe for Home grown Braised duck with star anise and sherry accompanied by freshly dug crispy smashed potatoes with lemon zest.  (adapted from Nigel Slater's)

• Cut your duckling into four pieces. Bigger duck more pieces. 
• Heat oil in heavy bottomed casserole, brown duck and remove. 
• Throw in 2 chopped onions, 3 big garlic chopped, 8 slices of ginger cut into matchsticks, bunch of spring onions chopped into long pieces, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and saute. 
• Slurp in 125mls of sherry or rice wine. 
• 500mls of chicken stock as well. 
• Toss in 3 star anise. Salt and Pepper. Taste. I added a slosh of soy sauce to get the salty/sweet balance right. Bubble this away for a few minutes on stove top then slide in you darling duck. 
• Pop in 180 degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until tender. 
• I pulled my duck out and placed on oven tray under a 200 degree grill/broiler or on fan grill to crisp up skin for 5 -10 mins. Do not burn it!!
• Strain the sauce and put back on stove to reduce slightly. Serve in a gravy boat.

Meanwhile in the bottom of the oven I'd roasted my newly dug potatoes for 30 mins. Turned them, then attacked them with a masher until they were smashed flat. Drizzled on more olive oil, dressed the lot with zested strips of lemon and snowfall of flaky salt and cook until duck is done. 

To plate up, layer on several flat crispy rounds of potato, rest a crispy skinned duck portion on top and bathe in gravy. Side dress with green beans and some of the veges from the braising liquid. Definitely worthy of a good Pinto Noir.

Pips recipe rating: "We'll be whopping a duck a month for the next 8 months...!"