Ingredients
- 2 ready-to-cook ducks, about 6 pounds each (see note)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed dried thyme
- ½ bay leaf, broken into small pieces and finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- Salt to taste, if desired
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- ½ cup shelled, blanched pistachios
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (11 servings)
2030 calories; 197 grams fat; 65 grams saturated fat; 93 grams monounsaturated fat; 25 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 57 grams protein; 376 milligrams cholesterol; 759 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
11 or 12 sausages
Preparation
- It is best to prepare these sausages one day in advance and refrigerate them until ready to cook.
- Cut away and reserve the meat from the ducks. There should be about 2 pounds of meat. Discard the bones and any fibrous membranes. Reserve 1/4 pound duck fat.
- Cut the duck meat into 1-inch cubes and put in a mixing bowl. Chop up the duck fat and add it and the thyme, bay leaf, allspice, salt and pepper. Blend well.
- If using a sausage stuffer, put half the duck mixture into the container of a food processor and blend until the mixture is slightly finer than hamburger. Repeat with the remainder. Combine the two batches and add the pistachios. Blend well in a bowl. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for filling the sausage casings. If using a meat grinder and stuffer, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for stuffing the casings. When the filling has been added, pinch off the casing and tie a knot at each end. Tie a piece of string at 5- or 6-inch intervals. There should be 11 or 12 sausages. Wrap the sausages in clear plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- To cook, cut off as many lengths of sausage as desired. Prick each sausage all over, forming pin-sized holes. Grill or broil the sausages, turning as necessary, about 15 minutes or until done. Or preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the sausages in a skillet and add 1/8 inch water. Bring the water to a boil on top of the stove and place the skillet in the oven. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, or until the sausages are done.
- Duck legs may be substituted for whole ducks. Look for them in the grocery store or order them from D’Artagnan in Jersey City, which sells duck legs for $2.50 a pound; American Express, Visa and MasterCard are accepted. You will need five legs.
Dining and Cooking