Wild mallard served on a bed of vegetable fried rice.
It’s always nice to step outside to find wild mallard ducks waiting for me. My hunting neighbours are quite generous. That said, it’s a lot easier to make this recipe if you go to a good butcher or game dealer. They should be able to sort you out with some plucked ducks. I hate plucking and gutting!
When cooking large wild ducks like mallards, it is important to cook them at your oven’s highest setting. You also want to monitor their inside temperature with a meat thermometer. Mallards should be served at medium rare which is 60c (140f). You could allow them to go as high as 65c. Any higher and you may as well eat leather.
I served these mallards with a sauce that was made from the marinade. Nice and easy.
The sauce can be made as spicy as you like. I made mine quite spicy as the ducks can really stand up to the spicy heat. There is so much delicious flavour.
As wild ducks are quite rich, two adult mallards should easily serve four.
If you can find them, get these without the feathers!
Submerge the ducks in the marinade and add chilli powder to taste.
Dry off the ducks but retain the marinade. Season with salt and pepper.
Your ducks should be ready in about 25 minutes. Let them rest while you make your sauce.
Heat the marinade in a pan and stir in the tomato paste.
Stir in the butter, some of the cooking juices and the lime juice.
Quarter the ducks and served topped with the sauce.
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- 2 wild mallard ducks
- 1 quantity mustard and coriander raita
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon madras curry powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder (more or less to taste)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Juice of one lemon
- Marinate the ducks, inside and out with the mustard and coriander raita and the chilli powder for about 8 hours or overnight in the fridge.
- When ready to cook, remove your ducks from the fridge and wipe as much marinade off them as possible. Allow to come to room temperature and retain the marinade.
- Pre-heat your oven to its highest setting.
- Sprinkle the ducks with salt and pepper and place in the oven for about 25 minutes or until they are 60c to 65c degrees in the deepest part of the meat.
- Bring out of the oven to rest while you make your sauce.
- Heat the marinade over medium heat and stir constantly so that the yogurt doesn’t curdle.
- Add a little chilli powder or curry powder if you like and also the tomato paste.
- Deglaze the roasting tin with a little water or stock and add a few tablespoons to the sauce. Squeeze in the lemon juice and add the butter. Taste it and adjust seasoning.
- Quarter each duck and give each person a front and back end. Drizzle the sauce over the ducks to serve.
- I served these ducks on top of vegetable fried rice.