Local Christmas | 72 hours before the celebration

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The following menu is prepared over four days, and the first stage begins 72 hours before the celebration. It consists of brining the duck in the refrigerator for 48 hours to season and tenderize it, and to prepare the marinated cranberries which will be used for the stuffing, the granita and the cocktail.


Whole force-fed duck brined for 48 hours

PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS

The duck will bathe in the brine for 48 hours.

Preparation: 10 minutes
Rest time: 48 hours
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 duck of 3 kg
  • 4 liters of water
  • 240 g of salt (6%, see tip)
  • 150 ml of maple syrup or 120 g of sugar (5% or 3%, see tip)
  • Spices of your choice

Preparation

  1. Boil some of the water and add the salt and maple syrup (or sugar). Dissolve well.
  2. Add the remaining water. Let cool.
  3. Add spices of your choice (fennel, peppers, dehydrated celery, thyme, rosemary, etc.).
  4. Place the duck in a container and cover it with brine. You can use a weight to fully submerge the duck.
  5. Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours.

Trick

Depending on the container, you will sometimes need up to twice the brine recipe. Mathematics lovers, Noé Lainesse has something for you. First put the duck in the container, cover it with water, remove the water and weigh it. Then multiply this mass of water by 6% to find the quantity of salt, and by 5% or 3% for that of maple syrup or sugar. Tadam!

Pickled cranberries 1:1:1:1

PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS

Pickled cranberries

Preparation: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Yield: 2 liters

Ingredients

  • 500 g cranberries
  • 500 ml of water
  • 500 ml of white vinegar
  • 500 g of sugar

Preparation

  1. Slice the cranberries in half or thirds and place them in a jar.
  2. Boil the water, white vinegar and sugar.
  3. Pour the hot mixture over the cranberries.
  4. Cover and store in the fridge.


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