Braised Duck With Apples, Calvados and Sour Cream

Name: Braised Duck With Apples, Calvados and Sour Cream
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 large duckling, cut into serving pieces; Seasoned flour for dredging ( 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper per half-cup flour); 2 tablespoons butter; 1 large Spanish onion, chopped coarse; 2 tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths; 1 tablespoon sugar (or more, as desired); Duck liver and giblets, cut small (optional); 1/2 teaspoon thyme; 2 teaspoons sage; 1 cup chicken stock; Salt and pepper, as desired; 1/4 cup Calvados (or more, as desired); 1 cup sour cream

By Robert Farrar Capon

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Rating: 4(8)
Comments: Read comments

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Ingredients

Yield:Makes 4 servings

1large duckling, cut into serving pieces
Seasoned flour for dredging ( ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper per half-cup flour)
2tablespoons butter
1large Spanish onion, chopped coarse
2tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
1tablespoon sugar (or more, as desired)
Duck liver and giblets, cut small (optional)
½teaspoon thyme
2teaspoons sage
1cup chicken stock
Salt and pepper, as desired
¼cup Calvados (or more, as desired)
1cup sour cream

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Dredge duck pieces with flour and shake off excess. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add duck pieces, skin side down, and fry slowly until nicely browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Turn and brown other side. Remove duck and reserve.
Step 2
Pour off all but 2 to 4 tablespoons of fat in the skillet, add onion and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned. Add apples, sugar, liver and giblets. Cook, stirring, 3 minutes more. Add thyme, sage, stock, salt, pepper and Calvados. Bring to a boil and return duck pieces to skillet. Cover securely and cook over very low heat for 1 hour, or until quite tender but not falling off the bone.
Step 3
Remove duck pieces to a deep serving platter and skim off fat from mixture in skillet. Add sour cream, check seasonings, reheat without boiling and pour over duck. Serve with mashed potatoes.