Duck Braised with Olives

This is a Provence-leaning braise where briny olives meet rich duck and smoky bacon in a red wine pan sauce. The trick is rendering the fat properly, duck releases a stunning amount, and pouring off all but two tablespoons keeps the sauce from going greasy.

Browning the skin side down first is a must. That deep mahogany crust is where most of the flavor lives, and rushing it with too high a heat means soft, sad skin instead.

A spoonful of Dijon stirred into the simmering liquid does double duty, it sharpens the wine and emulsifies the sauce so it clings to the meat instead of breaking. Don’t add it at the end, the long simmer mellows the bite.

Olives go in late, after the first 30 minutes of braising. Add them too early and they leach out their salt and turn bitter. Pitted black or green oil-cured olives both work, just split them so they release a little brine.

Chef Tips

• Domestic duck is fattier than wild. If using farm-raised, render extra hard before adding aromatics.
• The braise time depends on the bird, wild duck can be tough at an hour, while a Pekin will be falling-apart tender in 45 minutes.
• Skim the surface fat before serving, or chill overnight and lift the solid fat off the next day for a cleaner, richer reheat.
• Serve over wild rice so it can soak up every drop of the wine sauce.

Variations

• Swap red wine for a dry white like Sauvignon Blanc for a brighter, lighter braise.
• Add a handful of pearl onions in the final 20 minutes for sweetness.
• Stir in a tablespoon of fresh tarragon at the end for a more classic French finish.