Cassoeula is a classic Milanese winter dish that is, according to Antonio Piccinardi, common to areas once inhabited by Celts. There are many variations. This is from Brianza, an area that once was marshy, and rather than the usual pork, the recipe calls for duck. To serve 6:

See Also

The pork version of Cassoeula

Other recipes from Brianza

Ingredients

• A duck
• 2 Verzini (tiny sausages made with the same filling used for Luganega)
• 4 ounces fresh pork rinds
• A scant quarter cup (40 g) unsalted butter
• A carrot, sliced
• A celery rib, sliced
• An onion, sliced
• 6 ounces (150 g) Savoy Cabbage leaves, washed well and shredded
• 1 glass red or rosé wine
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• A pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 80 minutes

• Total Time: 120 minutes

Preparation

Flame the pork rinds to eliminate stray hairs and boil them for an hour in lightly salted water.

Clean the duck if need be, flame it to remove pinfeathers, pat it dry, and cut it into pieces.

Take a large pot and sauté the onion in the butter, then add the duck, brown for a few minutes, sprinkle with the wine, and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Add the vegetables, the sausages, pricked with the tines of a fork, cover, and simmer over a low flame for an hour and a half.

About 10 minutes before it's done, slice the pork rinds, which will have lost much of their fat, and stir them into the pot. Serve steaming, with polenta or dark bread.

Yield: 6 servings Duck Cassoeula.