To Ragout a Duck Whole

Ingredients

• 1 large duck
• pepper and salt to taste
• good beef gravy
• 2 onions sliced
• 4 sage-leaves
• a few leaves of lemon thyme
• thickening of butter and flour

Instructions

1. After having emptied and singed the duck, season it inside with pepper and salt, and truss it.
2. Roast it before a clear fire for about 20 minutes, and let it acquire a nice brown colour.
3. Put it into a stewpan with sufficient well-seasoned beef gravy to cover it;
4. slice and fry the onions, and add these, with the sage-leaves and lemon thyme, both of which should be finely minced, to the stock.
5. Simmer gently until the duck is tender;
6. strain, skim, and thicken the gravy with a little butter and flour;
7. boil it up, pour over the duck, and serve.
8. When in season, about, 1-1/2 pint of young green peas, boiled separately, and put in the ragoût, very much improve this dish.