Braised Whole Duck Mirepoix

Mirepoix....my new word.  I have used chopped veggies as a base for flavour many times, just didn't know what it was called until now.  So here's my Braised Whole Duck Mirepoix that I made last week for Father's Day. It was a real hit !

Ingredients:

1 - 3 lb duck

Mirepoix:

2 tbsps olive oil
2 onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
4 garlic buds, chopped
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups chicken stock

Bouquet garni (sort of) :

1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp saffron
1/2 lime
cheesecloth and string

1 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp celery seed

Start by dicing the vegetables for the mirepoix and set aside. It traditionally uses celery, but I chose to use celery seed later in the recipe instead. 

Cut a square of cheesecloth or use a coffee filter and add the ingredients for the bouquet garni.  I know it's not the usual ingredients for a bouquet garni, but the other name I thought of sounded funny....little pouch of flavour. Anyways, tie it all up with string and set aside.

Let's go.  Heat the olive oil in a pan, medium heat, and lightly brown the duck on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate.

To the same pan add the mirepoix, raise the heat to medium high, and brown 5 minutes.

Add the red wine (I used cabernet sauvignon) and the balsamic.  Scrape the brown bits off the pan and simmer until reduced to a syrup, another 5 minutes or so.
Add the chicken stock and place the duck on top. Turn it over to coat, leave it breast-side up and sprinkle with ginger and celery seed. Tuck the bouquet garni in the pan, cover and simmer 1  1/2 hours.

Remove the duck to a roasting pan. I know...not very pretty.

Strain the juices and reduce in a saucepan.

This will take 20 minutes.
Brush the duck with the reduction and roast in a 400F oven for 10 minutes.  Cool 5-10 minutes before slicing into this beautiful dark duck.