I have never eaten duck until February of this year. As you know, I love to try new things as long as it fits in our budget. I was thrilled to happen upon a sale on whole frozen duck that made it cheaper than the chicken next to it… as long as I bought three of them.
Duck has always seemed like a luxury food that was beyond my means. I had never had it, never learned to cook it, and thought of it as an exotic rich person food. I jumped at the opportunity to try out another “good thing.”
For one Christmas my husband bought me a Le Cordon Blue cook book that has taught me how to cook anything and so I have been able to buy anything on sale and figure out how to make it. I am also a frugal cook so no piece of food goes to waste. I plan a week’s menu and bought pretty much just that so the ingredients are fresh and nothing spoils. I also use every part of a whole bird I purchase. This is why 3 whole ducks lasted us a month.
Here is our menu for our month of duck:
Day 1: Peking Duck – http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Peking-Duck/Detail.aspx
Day 2: Duck Tacos – http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/duck-confit-tacos
Day 3: Lo Mein – http://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/176802087/chinese-duck-pasta-with-mushrooms/
Day 4: Leftover Lo Mein
Day 5: Risotto (made with the broth from the duck, but no meat. Just veggis) – http://www.marthastewart.com/318279/duck-and-pumpkin-risotto-with-spicy-pump
Day 6: Left over Risotto
Day 7: Frozen pizza (no duck)
Day 8: Roasted Duck – http://www.californiagirlcooks.com/2011/05/crisp-succulent-roast-duck.html
Day 9: Duck wraps – http://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/entertaining/nibbles/duck-and-snow-pea-pancakes-1
Day 10: Duck salad – http://www.aspicyperspective.com/2013/01/duck-confit-salad.html
Day 11: Duck fried rice
Day 12: leftover Duck Fried Rice
Day 13: Risotto – http://joelens.blogspot.co.uk/2009/04/duck-risotto.html
Day 14: frozen pizza ( I don’t cook on Sundays. No duck again)
Day 15: Leftover Risotto
Day 16: Hamburgers wit potatoes roasted in Duck fat
Day 17: Duck liver pate on toast and soup
Day 18: Roast Duck (again)
Day 19: Duck wraps (again)
Day 20: Duck Lo mein (again)
Day 22: Duck Risotto (again)
Day 23: Leftover Lomein
Day 24: Leftover Risotto
Day 25: Duck liver Pate on toast and soup
Stopped here.
I altered the recipes for what we had and what was available or even just easier to make. Buy the time we got to day 25, we were very done with eating duck! I guess with all things, moderation really is preferable even if it is as luxurious as duck.
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