Louisiana Mallards in Mandarin Glaze

Ingredients

• 3 (1-pound) mallard ducks, dressed
• 6 mandarins, peeled and sectioned
• salt and black pepper to taste
• cayenne pepper to taste
• Louisiana hot sauce to taste
• 3 cups diced onions
• 2 cups diced celery
• 2 cups diced bell peppers
• 2 cups diced carrots
• ½ cup minced garlic
• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup orange juice concentrate
• 1½ quarts chicken stock
• 12 strips bacon

Instructions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 375°F. Clean ducks well and remove all visible shot. Place ducks in a large ceramic mixing bowl and season inside and out with salt, peppers and hot sauce. Set ducks aside.
2. 2
   In a medium mixing bowl, combine onions, celery, bell peppers, carrots and minced garlic. Use half of vegetable mixture to stuff cavities of ducks. Dust birds lightly with flour.
3. 3
   In a 12-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown ducks in oil, turning occasionally. Surround browned ducks with remaining onions, celery, bell peppers, carrots and minced garlic.
4. 4
   Add mandarins, orange juice concentrate and chicken stock. Bring mixture to a rolling boil then remove from heat.
5. 5
   Top breast side of each duck with 4 strips of bacon, cover and roast 2½ hours, checking occasionally. Ducks are done when legs pull apart easily from body. Remove cover and roast until browned.
6. 6
   Serve with pan drippings or strain all vegetables from stock and thicken with a light brown roux.