TEAL STUFFED WITH MUSTARD GREENS AND SWEET POTATOES

Prep time 

30 mins 

Cook time 

3 hours 

Total time 

3 hours 30 mins 

Recipe by: George Graham  

Serves: 4 

Ingredients 

• 8 teal, cleaned 
• 3 cups chopped mustard greens 
• 2 cups diced sweet potato 
• 1 cup diced yellow onion 
• 1 cup diced celery 
• ½ tablespoon Acadiana Table Cajun Seasoning Blend, see recipe here 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1 teaspoon black pepper 
• 2 pieces smoked meat (ham hock, smoked sausage, or smoked turkey necks), optional 
• 8 cups chicken stock, plus more if needed 
• 6 cups cooked white rice, such as Supreme, for serving 
• Hot sauce, for serving 

Instructions 

1. Inspect the ducks and pull out any remaining pin feathers with a pair of pliers. 
2. Combine the greens, 1 cup of the sweet potatoes, onion, and celery in a large mixing bowl, and season with Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stuff the cavities of each duck with as much of the mixture as will fit. 
3. Place the stuffed teal in a pot (or Dutch oven) and add any remaining stuffing mixture along with the smoked meat. Add enough chicken stock to cover the teal. Place on a stovetop burner and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a gentle boil and let cook uncovered, checking periodically to make sure there is still liquid in the pot. 
4. Over the course of 1 to 2 hours (depending on the size of the pot and the amount of liquid), the stock will reduce, and the teal are done when most of the liquid cooks off and thickens to a gravy consistency. 
5. At this point, finish the dish by adding the remaining 1 cup of diced sweet potatoes and 2 cups of water (or remaining stock) to the pot. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender and the liquid reduces down to a gravy consistency, 10 to 15 minutes. 
6. Serve each guest a couple of teal with a double spoonful of gravy over a mound of cooked white rice. And be sure to have some ice-cold beer and a loaf of hot French bread nearby. Serve with hot sauce on the side. 

Notes 

If there’s no duck hunter in your family, find a friend who will share (my neighbor Don Bacque dropped off a sack of cleaned teal at my back door.) This recipe can be scaled up easily and the teal can be stacked in a large Dutch oven. The amount of cooking liquid (stock) will vary with the dimensions of your pot, so have plenty on hand or use added water if needed. My spice level is moderate, so add more Cajun seasoning or hot sauce if you like it spicier. The smoked meat (optional) is in this recipe to add flavor only, discard it after the long braise if you do not want to serve it (it is tasty though).