Duck Pie (Québec Tourtière Outaouais)

This is a very old recipe. In the towns and cities, game gave way to pork/beef/veal in making tourtière, the proportion depended on the cook. Duck tourtière is still made in regions where hunting is popular, a reminder of Québec's rural roots.

Filling:
1 large duck
1 onion, finely chopped
4 Tbsp. salt pork, in small cubes
2 cups chicken stock (500 mL)
2 oz browned flour (50 g)
1 pinch cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg
¼ tsp. savoury

Pastry:
7 oz all-purpose flour, unbleached (200 g)
3 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
6 Tbsp. vegetable shortening
1 cup sour cream (245 mL)
1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tsp. water, for glaze

Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C).

Rub the fat into the dry ingredients, add the sour cream to make the pastry, divide into two parts (⅔ and ⅓), roll out the larger piece and line a deep pie plate.

Clean the duck and cut the meat into cubes.

In a heavy pot, sear the duck with the pork fat and onion, add the broth, add the duck carcass and cook for about 2 hours at medium heat, adding water as needed.

Remove the duck and 1 L (4 cups) liquid, thicken it with the browned flour, season, return the boneless duck meat to the sauce and pour into the pastry crust.

Cover with the top crust, brush the edges with milk or water to seal.

Bake for 10 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350°F (180°C) and bake 20 minutes longer until the pastry is golden.

Sommelier: Choose a full-bodied red because of the duck, such as a Rhône Valley wine A Cornas from Jean-Luc Colombo.