Gabrielle New Orleans Recipes

SLOW-ROASTED DUCK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Season duck generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Put 1 or 2 pieces each of thyme, garlic, carrots, turnips, beets and shallots, in cavity. Truss duck; set in large casserole dish or medium roasting pan. Scatter rest of ingredients and neck around duck; season with salt and pepper. Cover loosely with foil.
• Roast duck for 10 minutes, lower temperature to 300 degrees and roast for 3 1/2 hours, basting vegetables and duck with pan juices and skimming off fat occasionally.
• Remove foil. Take out vegetables and neck, and set aside; roast duck for 1 more hour (if vegetables are not tender, continue roasting until they are). Skin should be well browned and crisp; the meat, extremely tender. Transfer duck to cutting board. Skim fat off pan juices; add water to pan, if necessary, to make 1/2 cup. Bring juices to boil, adjust seasoning, and transfer to serving bowl. Reheat vegetables and neck in baking dish in oven. Carefully carve duck (meat may fall off bone), adding vegetables from cavity to those in pan. Serve with pan juices and vegetables.

FRIED EGGPLANT GALATOIRE'S

Steps:

• In a bowl toss eggplant with salt. Cover eggplant directly with a plate and weight with a 1-pound can. Let eggplant stand 1 hour, or until it gives off most of its liquid. Rinse eggplant and drain well. Pat eggplant very dry with paper towels and in a bowl dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
• In a 4- to 5-quart heavy saucepan heat 1 inch oil to 375°F. on a deep-fat thermometer and fry eggplant in 3 or 4 batches, stirring gently, until golden brown. Transfer eggplant with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
• Serve eggplant hot with sugar for dipping.