Stuffed Duck

Various kinds of game and poultry play an important part in Russian cooking. This is hardly surprising, as Russian forests have long been famous for their wealth of wildlife, and hunting has always been a form of relaxationas well as a way of obtaining meat.

Those of you who have read Ivan Turgenev's Sportsman's Sketches will doubtless remember his remarkable descrip­tion of ashooting expedition. 'In spring, a quarter of an hour before sundown, you take your rifle and go into the woods without your dog. You find yourself a place near the edge of the wood, look around, check your percussion cap and exchange winks with your companion. Fifteen minutes go by. The sun has set, but it is still light in the wood; the air is crystal-clear; the birds warble on; the new grass is afresh, emerald green... You wait. It is growing slowly dark within the wood; the crimson glow cast by the sunset creeps slowly over the roots and trunks of the trees, rising ever higher from the low, as yet almost bare branches, to the still, sleepy tree tops... Soon even the tree tops are immersed in dusk; the rosy sky turns an ever deeper blue... You are racked by anticipation, and then suddenly — but only a hunter will understand me — suddenly, from the still depths comes a distinctive hissing and croaking, you hear the steady beat of swift wings, and a woodcock, grace­fully tilting its long beak, glides out from beneath a dark birch to meet your bullet.'

Hunting, extremely widespread in days gone by, has lost much of its popularity today. Maybe because hunting is banned for many months of the year, maybe because more people live in towns, but whatever the reason, there are far fewer hunters than previously. This is why it is very rare to see a wild duck on the table. Many people would rather go to the shops and buy a farm-raised goose or duck. Stuffed duck is a popular dish on special occasions.

Stuff the dressed duck with apples and buckwheat kasha. Buckwheat kasha is eaten not only at breakfast or as a side dish, but is also often used to stuff duck, because it comple­ments the flavour of the duck meat extremely well. Sew up the opening in the stomach with thread. Place the duck on a baking tray and roast in the oven for about one and a half hours, basting it with its own fat and juices. When the duck is cooked, remove the thread, take out some of the apples and kasha, place them around the duck and garnish with red bilberries steeped in water.

 

IV. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following words and expressions:

- наклонив свой длинный клюв;

- но в лесу еще светло;

- фаршированная утка;

- отверстие в брюшке;

- противень;

- фаршировать яблоками и гречневой кашей;

- поливать жиром и соком;

- моченая брусника;

- популярное праздничное блюдо.

 

V. Give your definitions to the following words and reproduce the sentences in which they were used:

- game;

- poultry;

- hunting;

- special occasion;

- a side dish;

- farm – raised;

- anticipation.

 

VI. Compare the verbs with appropriate nouns. Give your own variants if it’s possible:

1. to dress

2. to stuff

3. to sew up

4. to steep in

5. to baste with

6. to roast in

7. to garnish with

a) red bilberries

b) water

c) goose

d) duck

e) the opening in the stomach

f) the oven

g) fat and juices

 

VII. Place the sentences in sequence:

1. Many people would rather go to the shops and buy a farm – raised goose or duck.

2. Nevertheless, hunting has lost its popularity today and there are far fewer hunters than previously.

3. Game plays an important part in Russian cooking.

4. This is hardly surprising, hunting has always been a form of relaxation as well as a way of obtaining meat.

5. That’s why it is very rare to see a wild duck on the table.

6. Russian forests have long been famous for their wealth of wildlife.

 

VIII. Answer the questions?

1. What has hunting always been for the Russian?

2. Who was the author of the famous Russian work Sportsman’s Sketches.

3. Why has hunting lost much of its popularity today?

4. Is Stuffed Duck a popular dish on special occasions?

5. Why is buckwheat kasha often used to stuff duck?

6. How long should stuffed duck be roasted?

7. What is Stuffed Duck usually garnished with?

 

IX. How can Stuffed Duck be cooked?

 

X. Translate the recipe from Russian into English:

«НАДУШЕНЫЙ» ГУСЬ

Ингредиенты

Гусь – 2-2, 5 кг

свиное сало – 50-100г,

4 луковицы,

2 моркови,

2 стакана бульона,

Чеснок, лавровый лист, тмин, базилик, мускатный орех, душистый перец,

100г водки.

Способ приготовления

Нарежьте свиное сало и обваляйте в толченых пряностях (2 – 3 зубчика чеснока, 1 лавровый лист, тмин, базилик, мускатный орех, черный перец). Нашпигуйте гуся салом, мелко - рубленым луком и зеленью петрушки. Посолите и поперчите. Тушить гуся в утятнице с 2 нарезанными луковицами, корнем петрушки, морковью, душистым перцем, бульоном и водкой. Томить в духовке 2 часа. Гарнировать листьями салата.