DUCK WITH WINTER PEAR

Duck is a dish that’s very highly regarded in Catalan cuisine and is one of the undisputed stars of French gastronomy. It’s also typical in Scandinavian countries and in Germany, Poland and Hungary.  

In fact, duck has been on the menu for humans for millennia: ducks were first domesticated 4,000 years ago. This animal has had many uses over the ages, so we can safely say that, like with pigs, every last part of the duck is used: meat, eggs and feathers. Interestingly, all the current domesticated varieties of duck have their origins in the domestication of two wild species: the mallard and the Muscovy duck.

Duck with pears is a dish that is traditionally saved for special occasions. This casserole appears in the cuisine of many Catalan-speaking regions and is one of many dishes that can be made with this highly prized type of waterfowl. Its rich texture and clean taste help bring out the ingredients it’s cooked with, especially the fruit. Other equally delicious duck recipes are duck à l’orange, duck with wild mushrooms or apple and honeyed duck.

Duck magret and duck confit are two other famous dishes made using this meat. And here’s a fun fact: the species used to make the famous ancient recipe for Peking duck, made since imperial times, is different from the species we have available to us in Andorra.