Duck Carbonara

I spent some time with a few friends living in Bordeaux last week. The region is not only known for its wine, but also, for its stock of duck products—from foie gras to smoked duck breast to duck proscuitto.

This fact became painfully obvious after about my third day as a guest of the young couple with whom I was staying. Foie gras toasts as a snack before dinner were not a luxury as much as a repeat offender; duck fat replacing butter to fry onions was commonplace.

I’ll admit that a week was a little heavy for me (don’t forget all those croissants in the morning and the wine we were drinking continuously starting only hours after our first espressos of the day). However, I did snag one very fun recipe. It’s a very simple French-style pasta carbonara with a little twist. Instead of using pancetta, proscuitto, or bacon, use duck proscuitto.

1. Boil spaghetti in well-salted water.

2. Sautee onions and garlic with ample oil until they are very soft.

3. Chop the duck into bits. Add it to the onions.

4. Drain the pasta and mix into the onion mixture.

5. Stir in about a half-cup of crème fraiche. Season with salt and lots of pepper.

6. Crack an egg over the pasta, stir, and serve immediately.

The duck makes for fantastic flavor and also turns the incredibly basic dish into a gourmet delight. By substituting the fancy duck, you could easily serve the carbonara at a dinner party to a standing ovation.

To really go the extra mile, imagine sautéing the onions and garlic in duck fat, and using both the duck proscuitto and then a roasted duck breast, and serving it sliced, atop the warm, sticky pasta.