Canards Sauvages (Roast Wild Duck, with its Variations, Pilet and Sarcelle)

Ingredients

• wild ducks
• lemons
• watercress
• Apple-Sauce (for the English manner)
• oranges
• purée of airelles rouges
• a very fine gravy
• pilet
• sarcelle

Instructions

1. Do not bard the wild duck; roast it over a very lively fire for 20 minutes, so that it comes out rare.
2. Dress it with a surround of lemons and watercress.
3. For the English manner: roast as above and serve an Apple-Sauce separately.
4. À la Bigarrade: roast as above, surround the bird with quarters of orange trimmed to the flesh, and serve a light sauce Bigarrade separately (see Sauces Brunes).
5. Cranberries-Sauce: roast the bird and serve separately a purée of airelles rouges, or Cranberries.
6. Au Porto: roast the bird and serve separately a very fine gravy thickened with arrow-root and flavoured with Port.
7. Pilet: roast it over a lively fire, 15 to 17 minutes.
8. Sarcelle: treat it like the wild duck; cooking time 12 to 14 minutes.