For over 23 years Rex McIntyre has been an “avid” duckshooter on the Tukituki river. Realising many BayBuzz readers were also keen shooters, the regional council chair emailed us his very own Tuki duck recipe, just in time for readers ahead of opening morning tomorrow:
‘Tuki Duck de Merde’
Ducks that live and feed off the Tukituki are unique among the region’s waterfowl. They’re slow on the wing, don’t see too well, and oddly enough have no feathers. As lethargic targets, I think they’re a hunter’s dream, plus there’s no plucking!
Ingredients:
1 Tuki duck
1 handful of fresh fennel
2 cups Southland didymo
Method:
Gut, tie brick to bird’s foot and marinate in Otane oxidation pond for at least 24 hours. (Our ponds are working very efficiently so there’s no need to worry – for those shooting closer to Waipukurau, your pond’s fine too). Remember to attach buoy to avoid confusion with other cooks’ birds.
Retrieve and pat dry. Finely chop fennel and combine with the South Island didymo. (Here’s hoping we can source this locally next year). Fill cavity with mixture.
Boil for a minimum of 7 hours. (Cooking time is a personal preference, yet with Tuki duck I always recommend boiling the sh*t out of it).
Serve the bird with a super-aggressive Hawke’s Bay cabernet. This offsets any nitrate overtones, and pairs nicely with the meat’s robust metallic flavour.
Enjoy – and happy huntin’ to you all,
Rex
PS – please remember it’s now illegal to shoot with anything but steel shot – lead pellets can contaminate our waterways.
Any enquiries (strictly questions of clarification only) email me at: rexandthecity@hbrc.govt.nz