Ducks are to Southwest France what beef cattle are to Argentina: the favorite and most reliable source of food and industry in the region. The fattening up of so many ducks and geese for the production of foie gras has led to the invention of numerous dishes that use the rest of the bird.
There is no need to cook a whole duck. Here you’ll find a slew of wonderful dishes to make with cut up duck parts. This is the method generally used throughout Southwest France, where thrift and culinary good sense are working mottos, and where ducks are truly understood. Duck is so versatile, so complementary to so many other foods, that it can be used to play off nearly every flavor combination—sweet, sour, salty, or acid. Duck goes well with vinegars, peppers, olives, and vegetables. You can serve a duck breast with citrus or mulberry sauce, or turnips and chestnuts, or celery root puree. The legs can be braised and served with onions or prunes and red wine or grilled and paired with a walnut-garlic sauce. Ducks go with nearly anything and are superb, too, simply grilled alone over dried grapevine cuttings, broiled, or slowly sautéed in a deep skillet.