PAPRIKA DUCK AND ROSEMARY TUBERS WITH GRAVY

      SERVES 8

      Katniss tubers and groosling featured heavily in the Hunger Games trilogy. Both were a huge part of the survival of the characters that had the hunting and foraging skills to acquire them.

      Since we’ve included other groosling and katniss dishes, we’ll use duck and yucca here. The duck adds an interesting flavor and texture that goes very well with the starchiness of the yucca.

      DUCK:

      2 TEASPOONS SALT

      2 TEASPOONS PAPRIKA

      1 TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER

      1 (5-POUND) WHOLE DUCK

      1 LARGE ONION, QUARTERED

      2 LARGE SPRIGS OF FRESH ROSEMARY

      ½ CUP MELTED BUTTER, DIVIDED

      YUCCA:

      1¼ POUNDS FRESH YUCCA

      1 TEASPOON SALT, DIVIDED

      4 TABLESPOONS SALTED BUTTER, MELTED

      6–8 GARLIC CLOVES, MINCED

      1 LARGE SPRIG OF FRESH ROSEMARY LEAVES

      ½ TEASPOON FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

      1 CUP CREAM

      1 BUNCH ITALIAN PARSLEY, LEAVES CHOPPED

      GRAVY:

      4 TABLESPOONS FLOUR

      1 CUP CHICKEN OR DUCK STOCK

      DUCK:

      Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

      Make a dry rub of salt, paprika and pepper and generously rub into the skin and cavity.

      Put the duck into a roasting pan and stuff with onion and 2 sprigs of rosemary.

      Roast for 1 hour. Then baste duck with about ¼ cup of melted butter until skin is nicely coated.

      Cook for another 45 minutes.

      Baste again and allow 15 more minutes in the oven. Duck should be a nice golden brown.

      YUCCA:

      Peel and wash the yucca. Put in a small pan and fill with water, just until yucca is covered.

      Add ½ teaspoon of salt to water. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer, covered, about 30 minutes, until a fork goes through the yucca without effort.

      Drain and leave in the colander for cooling.

      When it’s cool enough to handle, pull the roots and veins out of the yucca.

      Melt the butter and sweat the garlic and the rosemary petals on medium-low heat until tender but not brown, then add the remaining salt and pepper.

      Add the cream and bring to a soft simmer, stirring frequently so the bottom doesn’t burn.

      Add the yucca and mash until desired consistency (a bit lumpy).

      Put the mixture into a baking dish, cover and place in oven (already preheated to 375) for 8–10 minutes.

      Garnish with chopped parsley.

      GRAVY:

      Use drippings from the duck. Measure out ½ cup of drippings, pour into a heavy pan and bring to a boil on high heat.

      Reduce heat to medium, whisk in the flour and whisk constantly until it forms a thick golden paste.

      Slowly pour in stock, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.

      Continue to cook over medium heat until thickened.