Galantine of Mallard Recipe

Galantine of Mallard

With its elegant presentation and rich flavours, galantine of mallard offers a sophisticated twist on wild duck, perfect for a romantic dinner that feels both intimate and indulgent – think of it as nature's gift wrapped in a culinary surprise. The dish highlights the bird's tender meat, enhanced by a stuffing of pork mince, chestnuts, and dates, creating a harmonious blend of savoury and sweet notes that evoke a sense of warmth and tradition.

This French technique of deboning and stuffing transforms the mallard into a versatile centrepiece, with its less fatty texture providing a refined contrast to farmed ducks. As a seasonal delight from Britain's wild game, it delivers a satisfying mix of nutty, herbal undertones and a comforting mouthfeel that appeals to those seeking an aspirational home-cooked experience.

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2 servings

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Prep: 45 minutes-1 hour
Cook: 40 minutes, 10 minutes resting

Ingredients

Mallard Duck

1 mallard (around 1kg)
3 smoked streaky bacon rashers, rinds removed and flatten slightly with the side of a knife
2 thin slices of orange

Farce

200g pork mince
100g cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped
6 dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1 tbsp cointreau
1 tbsp finely chopped sage and oregano
Maldon salt and freshly ground pepper

To Cook

salt
Olive Oil

Method

Dates

Marinate the dates in the cointreau in a covered container at room temperature for at least 2 hours or overnight

To Debone the Mallard

Place the mallard on a chopping board breast side down. Using a sharp knife cut along the centre of the back of the duck. Scrape the skin and meat from the backbone and follow the bone to remove the meat from the carcass until you get to the top of the breast. Repeat this process with the other side of the duck being carefully not to cut through the skin. When you get to the top of the rib cage very carefully cut the top of the breastbone from the flesh so that the breast remains intact and the meat remains whole.
Hold up one of the mallard's leg (thigh up) with one hand and scrape down the bone (from the flesh side) removing the flesh. Cut around the skin at the base of the leg and pull the bone out. Repeat this process with the other leg and wings, removing the wing tips (there isn't any worthwhile flesh there). Turn the legs and wings flesh inside the mallard.

Farce

Place the pork mince in a bowl with the chestnuts, dates, herbs and seasoning. Mix the mixture together well with a wooden spoon so that all the ingredients are well combined.
Place the boned mallard skin side down. Spread the farce evenly over the flesh side of the mallard. Bring the sides together sealing in the farce. Reform the goose into a cylinder shape and use a long skewer to secure the flesh together. Place the orange slices on the centre of the breast and wrap in the bacon rashers If preparing in advance cover and refrigerate until ready to cook (the galantine can be prepared 1-2 days in advance dependant on the freshness of the ingredients).

To Cook

Preheat an oven to 200°C. Rub a generous pinch of salt into the mallard and coat in a little olive oil and place on a baking tray breast side up. Cook on the centre shelf of the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180C and continue to cook for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes

To Serve

Carefully pull the skewer from the mallard and slice so that there are 3-4 slices per portion. Pour a little cooking juices over the slices and serve with your choice of accompaniment.