FOOD

Duck Stew with Chanterelles and Olives

“I cook for our crew most nights [during harvest], so I am constantly on the search for hearty make-ahead meals because they often leave me waiting, saying they will be there at 7 p.m. and not showing up until 9 p.m. (You get the idea.) I adapted this recipe from a book called “Simply Stews” by Susan Wyler. Generally, I make rosemary polenta and serve the stew on top of it. With the polenta and a green salad, it makes for a lovely, warming fall meal.” Maria Stuart

 

3 pounds boneless, skinless duck breasts
* kosher salt
* fresh ground pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
½ cup dry Madeira
¾ cup Pinot noir
1 pound fresh plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (or 1 28-ounce can Italian peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped)
2½ cups mushroom stock
2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
1 bay leaf
1½ cups pitted green olives
1 pound fresh chanterelles (other wild mushrooms will work)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
1½ tablespoons chopped parsley

1. Melt the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a sauté pan. Throw in the chanterelles, 1 minced garlic clove and 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence. Sauté for a few minutes, until the combination is fragrant and the mushrooms are about halfway cooked. 2. Season the duck liberally with salt and pepper. In a large flameproof casserole dish or dutch oven, heat olive oil over moderately high heat. Add the duck in two batches, turning until lightly browned, about 5 minutes per batch. Remove to a plate. 3. Add the chopped onion to the casserole and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a little longer. Pour in the Madeira and the Pinot. Bring to a boil, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Boil until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes. 4. Return the duck to the pan, along with any juices that have collected on the plate. Pour in the stock and, add 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence and bay leaf. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer 25 minutes. 5. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a simmer. Add the olives and simmer 25 minutes. Drain the olives into a colander. 6. Add the olives and the sautéed chanterelles to the duck in the casserole. Continue to simmer, partially covered, until the duck is tender, about 20 to 30 minutes longer. 7. Remove the duck, and cut into bite-size pieces. Skim any fat off the liquid in the pan. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Boil over high heat to reduce slightly, about 3 minutes. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of water and stir into the sauce. Boil about 2 minutes, stirring, until thickened and clear. Add the duck back to the pot and refrigerate overnight. 8. When ready to serve, gently re-warm the stew. Stir in the vinegar and season the sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley and serve. Yields four servings.

Wine Suggestion:

R. Stuart & Co. Autograph Pinot Noir

R. Stuart & Co.

After making wine for other people for more than 20 years, Rob Stuart and his partners founded R. Stuart & Co. in early 2002.

With a degree in biochemistry from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, and a short but eye-opening career in the labs at Baylor University in Texas, Stuart started his winemaking journey on the bottling line at Hans Kornell in Napa, Calif. From there, he went to work in the cellar at Valley View Vineyards in Medford and then on to Stanton Hills in Yakima, Wash., where he made wine for 10 years. Finally, Rob managed to return to Oregon in 1994 when he became the winemaker at Erath Vineyards, his home away from home until he started his current adventure, R. Stuart & Co.

The winery is located in historic downtown McMinnville in a converted granary in the Pinot Quarter. Stuart makes only the wines he and his wife, Maria, love: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and sparkling wine. Their everyday wines are bottled with the Big Fire label; reserve wines bear the R. Stuart & Co. label.

R. Stuart & Co. Wine Bar is located block from the winery at 528 N.E. Third Street in downtown McMinnville. The winery is open for tasting by appointment and for special events. To learn more, visit www.rstuartandco.com

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