Self (Lucy Uppill)
My friend Isabel took this photo when I dropped by Mongolia to see her after having toured China in search of Duck. Peking duck, Chiu chow duck, red cooked duck, Sichuan duck, Nanjing salt duck, any duck at all really. Seems a bit obsessive and a touch ingredient specific, what about all the amazing seafood, beef, pork dishes in China? Well a few years ago I had this somewhat crazy, optimistic idea of writing a cookbook entirely about duck. How to cook, braise, roast, steam, fry, render duck, a bit about domestic breeds, a tour of the duck cooking nations, France and China being the leaders, the classic duck dishes of the world plus some innovative recipes. This kept me quiet, out of trouble and in the state library for a few years which then led to overseas trips in search of recipes, know how, tips, techniques, photo opportunities, tax deductions etc. Another few years and kilometres down the track and still no book!
The reason for the tardiness of book is, well…life. Work. Running businesses. Other cunning plans. Other activities. You know how it is. So, this blog, (that I am loving the writing of, the platform for photos and recipes, and the not-so finality of publishing), is the interim book. It is the answer to the inevitable catch up question from my friends ‘when is the book going to be finished?’ It is the book in very random order. A page here and there and others thrown in for fun (my fun that is). This blog will also be used, at times, to demonstrate with step by step photos, the cooking of the duck recipes in my Spice Road range of flavour bases. Without sounding too commercial and self promoting, my other business is Jagger fine foods in the Adelaide Central Market, a store I have nursed, raised and cultured since returning from travelling 12 years ago.
Feel free to ask any questions through the comments box below, that means any queries regarding duck, and I will try to answer as well as I possibly can. Thanks for the interest, Lucy .
I like the photos. Especially the one of the boy on the scooter.
Tried the Ethiopian spice mix on goat- very slow roasted – overnight in low oven- had added a little extra oil and rubbed the spice mix all over the goat, added a touch of water to the roasting pan, then tightly sealed with foil- next day we woke to beautiful aromas wafting from the kitchen! Tasted great too!! Thanks
Thank you so much for testing it on goat, overnight in a low oven sounds delicious.
I think it’s lovely. ( It’s actually Shari on Kyla’s computer ) but she keeps saying how lovely she thinks it is….’yeah I do think it’s really lovely’…..and……’clever and creative’….and ‘how do you get more clever?’…………and she just loves ‘cunning plans’…….’oh yeah, I do like a cunning plan.’
Please cook me some? As I love Duck!!! (:~I)
Anytime Jimmy!
Can you visit VietNam and do a recipe from there? I know a good guide! (:~I)
Great site. I’m a duck lover too! I’m having a massive duck cooking session over the Easter break. Duck pies, confit, rillettes are on the menu. But I must try the dumplings they look ducklicious!
ps: Hey Lucy, how do you spell library?????
Ah….like that. Whoops, didn’t know where the spell check was when I wrote that. Optimist was dodgy too. Thanks Irene.
Hi Lucy, just wanted to say your duck recipes look really enticing! Great photos too, I’ve bookmarked you for my next duck idea. Thanks!
Hi Lucy, one of my favouirte dishes from Cafe Kowloon is their bayberry duck, am having trouble finding a recipe to try and create it at home – any ideas? do you sell bayberrys at Jagger?
See you at the market
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl, I am on to it. Firstly there is such a thing as a bay berry but it is only used for making candles, not duck recipes. I have been talking to the staff/ owner of Cafe Kowloon and the main flavouring in this dish is the salted, dried plum. The bay berry name is just the name of the sauce (their name anyway). I have ordered the duck and am having it tonight but from a quick tasting, and it is yum, I can make something up for you that you can make at home. I will send you my findings asap and will probably post a recipe as well. Lucy
Hi from New Zealand. Great website – and great idea for a book. I’d definitely buy it.
Hi Lucy
Hope you are well? I’m working for another blog, apart from my own, and wondered if I could please link and reference your Christmas duck recipe from last year in a post. The site is called Justb.?
Nikki (Phil’s sister)
Oops, meant to say … if that’s ok, could you please email me: nikki@stylingyou.com.au
Dear lucy
so proud to have given you a lift onto your massive ladder and great to see fantastic recipes
well do girl ripper
Matthew
Matt, you were the ladder! Great to here from you, have a beautiful Christmas. See you here soon, we are all so looking forward to it. Lucy
Oooo, having just harvested the first of my Pekin flock I’m stoked to have found this blog – and local too! Do you know of a good resource on how to properly break-down a whole bird Lucy? I’ve never been much good at butchery and would love to learn how to get the breasts off a carcass without multilating them… Looking forward to working through all these recipes
Thanks for your comment Clare, I will do a post on taking off the breast and legs for you. Lucy
Thanks Lucy! Have signed up for Feast’s poultry & game class next month, but even that doesn’t cover duck specifically … Will have to ‘settle for’ whole bird-recipes until then