SAVOURY DUCK ( Game Faggots )

So! what is a savoury duck? and, why are they called faggots?

" Faggots are meatballs made from minced off cuts and offal, especially pork (traditionally pig's heart, liver, and fatty belly meat or bacon) together with herbs for flavouring and sometimes added bread crumbs. It is a traditional dish in the United Kingdom, especially South and Mid Wales and the Midlands.

Faggots originated as a traditional cheap food eaten in Western England, particularly west Wiltshire and the West Midlands, Their popularity spread from there, especially to South Wales in the mid-nineteenth century, when many agricultural workers left the land to work in the rapidly expanding industry and mines of that area. Faggots are also known as "ducks" in Yorkshire , Lincolnshire , and Lancashire , often as "savoury ducks". The first use of the term in print was in the Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser of Saturday 3 June 1843, a news report of a gluttonous man who ate twelve of them. "

So!! There you go! The Savoury Duck AKA The Faggot

You can use whatever mixed game you want for this recipe, but you will need the fat or suet to keep them moist and prevent your faggots from drying out, If you can't get caul fat, don't panic, you can carefully mould your faggots and gently cook in the chicken stock.

This recipe will serve 4 people

SHOPPING LIST

200g caul fat (your local butcher will be able to provide you with some)

3 shallots, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, finely diced

1tsp thyme leaves, chopped

1tsp rosemary, chopped

2 tbsp butter

150g black pudding

100g pork shoulder, minced or finely chopped

100g back fat or beef suet, minced or finely chopped

100g bacon, minced or finely chopped

350g game meat (venison, mallard, pheasant etc) minced or finely chopped

½ tsp ground mace

salt and freshly ground black pepper

100g fresh white breadcrumbs

1 egg

1 Litre of good quality chicken stock

Method

Soak the caul fat in water for 2 hours.

Sweat off the shallots, garlic and herbs in the butter for 10 mins until turning golden.

Break up the black pudding in a food processor or chop into small pieces.

Mix with all the other ingredients apart from the caul fat and stock.

Form into 4 balls for main course size or 8 for starter.

Wrap each in caul fat.

Preheat the oven to 180C

Put the faggots in an ovenproof dish with the chicken stock.

Braise with a lid on for 40 mins (the starter faggots will take about 25 mins).

Serve with mashed potatoes and crushed carrots and swede