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Chose a young female duck ("canette"). They are more pricey than the males but so much better with less bones and more flesh. Buy pitted black olives: a jar of 330g (net)/163g(drained) is enough for four but if you do not add turnips, then you can double the quantity of olives.
Price: a "canette" of 1.95kg, good for four persons, cost €28.59 in Paris on 11/03/2010 (€14.66/kg).
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| Sear on a burner then cook in the oven |
Put the duck in an Dutch oven and sear all sides on a burner. Then cook it uncovered in a hot oven (220ºC). Up to an hour if you like the duck well done. Leave to rest. If your guests are late or if you want to cook ahead of time, you can keep the duck for an additional hour in a 50ºC oven.
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| Turnips |
Peel the turnip and cook them in salted water. One hour.
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| Duck and olives in the Dutch oven |
Put the duck on a carving board or a large dish. Carve it: the legs in two, then detach the meat from the top bone, the breast in thin slices (the best part). Take off the skin.
Take most of the fat out of the juices and put back in the Dutch oven. Add the carved pieces and pitted black olives. Reheat and put on the table. Serve.
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| Turnips on a plate |
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| A plate |
A plate with an skinned bonestick and slices of meat from the breast, turnips and black olives.
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