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Duck, Duck, Gumbo By Sarah Baird W

of duck, then next thing you know, they’re giving it away because they have too much. I think you should take what you need to eat and leave the rest to grow.” For Richard, hunting humanely also means using all of an animal’s parts — including those bits that might seem intimidating to cook at first blush. “Make sure you use every part of the duck or whatever you kill to the best of your ability, because that duck gave its life for that pot of gumbo,” says Richard, who is a big fan of both duck heart and gizzard. “There are a lot of people who will just take certain things off the duck and throw the rest away. It’s heartbreaking that the rest of the duck is wasted because they’re either too lazy to clean it or they don’t think it tastes good. You took that duck’s life for your meal, and it’s important to treat it properly. It’s all about cooking with respect.” CHEF NATHAN RICHARD’S DUCK, OYSTER AND TASSO GUMBO Makes 10-12 servings WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 3 wild ducks, average size, cut into six pieces (see Chef’s notes below) 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning 3 pounds tasso, cut about ¼-inch thick 1 pint Prestige Oysters (reserve oyster liquor) 1 cup vegetable oil 1 cup celery, diced ¼ cup garlic, minced 2 bay leaves 3 quarts chicken stock 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 cup sliced green onions ½ cup chopped fresh parsley Cooked wild rice or popcorn rice HOW TO PREP: Season duck pieces with Creole seasoning and set aside. Heat oil in a large cast-iron dutch oven over high heat; whisk flour into hot oil to make a roux. It will sizzle when the flour hits the hot oil. Whisk continuously. 1½ cups all-purpose flour 3 cups yellow onions, diced 2 cups green bell peppers, diced

TEAM ROUX

ild game has always been a gumbo-making staple for many on the Gulf Coast, who seem to love

the ritual of hunting for their dinner almost as much as the fellowship involved in cooking it up afterward. From rabbit and venison to pheasant and wild boar, Cajun cooks have long been some of the most adept hunters and trappers around, and their ability to turn the spoils of hours spent in tree stands or waist-high water into rich, simmering pots of gumbo is practically limitless. For Chef Nathan Richard, a Thibodaux native who has helmed fine dining kitchens across the Southeast for more than 20 years, there’s one type of wild game that flies above the rest when it comes to gumbo ingredients: duck. “I think duck hunting — and hunting in general — is full of lessons to be learned about life. It’s all about the memories that you’re making,” Richard explains. “The night before a duck hunt, everyone’s eating and having a good time and making memories. The next morning, you wake up early to go out at 4:30 a.m. and make even more memories. Whether you’re a kid or an adult taking your sons and daughters out for the first time, lifelong memories are made while hunting for wildlife.” Hunting also teaches plenty of lessons about the natural world and appreciating

We are creatures of our environment. When the Acadians

settled in the western parts of Louisiana, they found no

abundance of tomatoes growing in their swampy environment. They did find and raise delicious foods. They raised pigs and chickens. They became world-famous sausage makers. They worked hard in the fields and had to be self-sufficient in their relative isolation. Their gumbo was and is hearty and robust, made with the traditional trinity and a darkly toasted roux. Duck season does not coincide with tomatoes, anyway. Chicken and andouille gumbo was eaten when the chicken was old and ready for the pot. Tomatoes, when they were to be had, were enjoyed on their own as a fresh treat.

where food comes from. “I’m always a firm believer that you shouldn’t take more than you hunting. There are people who go out and kill a freezer full need when

– Liz Williams, founder, Southern Food and Beverage Museum

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