The festive and winter dish par excellence. The association is almost immediate. It dates back to around 1500 and its popularity was acquired with the worldwide spread of French cuisine.

Yes, even if it was apparently Catherine De’ Medici who brought it to court. So, probably the real origin is Tuscan. This dish is best prepared the day before and left to rest in the fridge overnight.

Ingredients for 2

• 500 g duck in pieces (about 10 cm)
• 75 g shallots (3 shallot onions)
• 300 g orange with peel and juice (approx. 2 oranges)
• 30 g Grand Marnier
• two cloves
• 30 g extra virgin olive oil
• 150 g white wine
• 250 g beef or mixed meat stock
• bay leaves to taste
• salt and pepper/chilli pepper to taste

Preparation methodology

Put the extra virgin olive oil on the Ghisantiva and turn it on low heat. Clean and finely chop the shallot. Sauté with the lid closed. Then add only the part of the cloves that is at the top and crumbles, the orange peel, without the white part, cut into very thin slices, a good grating of pepper or chilli pepper. Deglaze with the small glass of Grand Marnier. Once the alcohol has evaporated, cook for about ten minutes over a low heat, with the lid on, until a thick cream forms and the shallots are transparent. Transfer to a plate.

In the same pan, now empty, place the duck pieces to be stewed, skin side down in the bottom of the pan. Turn up the heat a little, especially if the duck is cold from the fridge. I recommend taking it out a couple of hours beforehand. Brown the duck pieces slowly without the lid. First on the skin side, then on the meat side. This takes about 20 minutes.

The pieces should be nicely coloured and sealed on all sides so that the meat remains juicy. As only the fat from the skin is used for cooking, take care that the pieces do not burn and stick to the bottom. Just shake the pan vigorously left and right every three minutes.

Now add the bay leaf, a pinch of salt and the spice and shallot mixture to the stewed duck.

Then pour in the white wine. There should be about a centimetre of liquid in the pan. Let it evaporate, over a gentle heat, with the lid only resting on half the diameter of the Ghisanativa.

Add the orange juice only when it has dried out. Then, add hot water or meat stock in the same way, several times. Up to a total cooking time of about two hours.

If the meat comes off the bones it is ready. If it is still tough, continue for as long as necessary. The cooking time varies according to the animal. If it remains relentlessly tough, you have been given an old duck. If you don’t want to eat it like this, debone it and cut it into small pieces and dress a pasta.

Roberta de Salvador

“Bellunese doc, omnivorous and publicist journalist with a passion for food and wine. She graduated in Communication Sciences and then did a 10 kg master’s degree at Gambero Rosso, kilos she lost with a healthy diet and lots of walking in the mountains. The recipes she shares with us revisit traditional Italian cuisine and are repeatable even for those who are not PRO cooks.”

This recipe was prepared on