Monday 5 August 2013

Gizzards anyone?




I live in an area of France that's renowned for its gastronomy, but certain of our local gastronomical delights can send-out danger signals to the unadventurous.

Duck Gizzards are not on everyone's everyday shopping list, but they are delicious if prepared correctly. Here in Aquitaine they are treated just like 'Confit de Canard'; slightly salted overnight, then slowly simmered in duck fat. The finished product is put into jars, covered with the molten fat, and kept in a cool place until required. Duck hearts can be preserved in exactly the same way. I'm lazy so I buy mine in tins (above).

The classic use for these 'Gésiers de Canard' is our regional 'Salade de Gésiers', a simple salad with sliced-n-fried Gésiers served with walnuts and occasionally hard-boiled-eggs.

This is the one I prepared for my Sunday lunch yesterday. Everything from the garden, except for the Gésiers themselves.


I need not tell you; it was delicious (they taste like very tender pieces of duck breast)!


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25 comments:

  1. If you say so Cro! I like to try the food of the region when we travel but I'm afraid I found the tripe sausage very rubbery. Sometimes it's better not to know too much before you taste ( as with your gizzards or haggis for that matter). Your salad certainly looks nice.

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    1. Tripe sausage does NOT appear on my plate either. I've only had it once, and it smelt nasty.

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  2. I do like chicken gizzards, but they're certainly not tender (at least not the ones I've had). Your salad is lovely.

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  3. I can't stand the sight, or smell of andouilette, which is such a pretty name for something so unpleasant.
    Gesiers are Delicious Our local restaurant does a really nice gesiers salad, just like yours. I will look out for the tins, thanks for the tip.

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    1. The make 'La Gormandiere' is particularly good.

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  4. What is up with all these squeamish people. We love all of these things and when we tell of this we are treated to all kinds of faces.
    I love hearts of any kind, liver, kidneys, I especially love the parsonns nose and the insides of the chicken (when cooked) and when I was a kid the bacon rinds and marrow out of the lamb bone was a real treat.
    They don't know what they are missing...
    Briony
    x

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    1. I think you and I must have been brought up in very similar households.

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  5. I've never eaten gizzards. I don't think they are sold anywhere around here. At any rate the gizzards look better than the boiled eggs. I only like those if they are deviled.

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    1. They may be banned in the US; I've never seen them on sale in the UK either.

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  6. Chicken gizzards are typical roadside food here. They are just skewered and charcoal grilled. Alex loves them, they are to him what boiled sweets are to kids in Europe, and a lot healthier. I like them dipped in the local fiery hot pepper sauce.

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    1. If he likes chicken gizzards, he'd LOVE these!

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  7. It all looks good to me. It's good to come back to a taste of France. I'm cooking ratatouille nicoise this afternoon, I wish I could say I had grown all the veg (I've dug over a plot ready, so maybe next year!) . . . I have grown the Basil!
    I've missed you x x

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    1. I still have no glut of tomatoes, so my rat' will have to wait. All I have are those little ones above. Where have you been?

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  8. If offered the gizzards, I would use the excuse that my doctor would not allow it. I think I would have to double up on my cholesterol pills.

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    1. They're 100% Cholesterol free (at least that's what I tell MY doctor).

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  9. Looks like a lunch I should not have missed. Funny how you tell us all about it after it has been consumed. Still, the photo is nice.

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  10. Beats a batchelors' Gingster Cornish pasty and baked beans hands down.

    LLX

    P.S. Looks like you're managing well with the family away Cro.

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    1. Food and wine are the two things I never skimp on. Not in terms of money, but definitely in terms of flavour. The family will be back quite soon, with an extra 4 in tow, to add to the fun.

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  11. I'll just have to take your word for it that a duck's innards taste as good out its "outards". As for me, I'd rather eat the its breast. Or better yet, leg quarters, crisped up nicely, and then simmered atop a bed of onions and apples, with a fabulous gravy. (Hmm, good thing I'm going to the market this afternoon; I think some duck legs may have to come home with me.)

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    1. Susan, if I served you these without telling you from which part of the bird they came, you would probably 'Swoon' with delight. I rest my case!

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  12. Never that fond of gizzards. Ate the heart and liver. You seem adventurous on the gourmet front, so perhaps you could fry up some prairie oysters. I just know there's a French equivalent. Recipe on this site:

    http://www.cowboycountrytv.com/recipes/prairieoysters.html

    As a side note, the Douglas Lake Ranch is just a hope and skip from my place.

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    1. I presume these 'Prairie Oysters' are, errm, well, dangly bits. I'd certainly try them; it's the green sauce that'd worry me!

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  13. Never had gizzards (great word) never will. Did see lambs testicles on a menu recently but didn't order them.

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  14. I believe you........thousands wouldn't.

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