This recipe comes from the Restaurant Antico Martini in Venice, Italy.

"Antico Martini is the top-class restaurant in Venice Italy, famous the world over for fine food and refined service. Since 1720".

If you would like to know more about the restaurant or want to book a table then visit the restaurant web site for further details <click here>

Venetian Cuisine

Venetian cuisine is known for its variety of dishes and ingredients. This can only be expected in a lagoon city which, though born of its own waters, has always maintained close ties with the mainland as well as flourishing trade routes with many faraway countries, from northern Europe to the far East

Thus, you find not only the dried baltic cod and the exquisite Asian spices, but also the genuine if perhaps more modest fresh vegetahles from the estuary islands, fish from the Venice lagoon and game fowl captured in the 'barene', or shallows. A visit to Venice offers an opportunity to discover a fascinating gastronomic tradition, a chance to venture down unfamiliar culinary roads often overshadowed hy wide-spread fastfood consumption.

The Association 'Ristoranti della Buona Accoglienza di Venezi' (Restaurant Antico Martini is one of its founders) offers you a taste of some of the most typical local recipes, trusting that at the end of your culinary tour you will take home with you not only an eyeful but also a palateful of unforgettable memories of Venice.

Ingredients

1 mazoro (wild duck), quartered
olive oil
garlic
1 large onion
celery and
bay leaves and add
4 salted sardines (rinsed) and
15 g. of pickled capers
White wine
qty of broth

Marinade:
White wine
Thyme
Marjoram
Rosemary
Bayleaves
drop of vinegar

• Pluck, draw and cut into fourths a 'mazoro' (wild duck), preferably a hen, after leaving it to hang for three days.

• The evening before cooking, soak it in wine with thyme, marjoram, rosemary, bayleaves and a drop of vinegar.

• The next morning put it in a terracotta pot with olive oil and garlic and roast on high flame until half cooked.

• In a separate pan lightly fry some onion and celery and bayleaves and add 4 salted sardines (rinsed) and 15 g. of pickled capers.

• Add the pieces of duck, salt, pepper and cover with white wine and broth.

• Cover and finish cooking on medium/low heat for about 1 1/2 hours, adding frequently cold broth.

Serve with hot grilled polenta.

Restaurant Antico Martini