12775 Makes 6 servings Wed Aug 06 07:57:11 -0700 2008 Tue Feb 03 11:49:20 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12775 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:49:20 GMT James Beard loved bacon like nobody I ever knew, and when I once brought him two fresh ducks from Long Island, he wasted no time transforming them into a luscious stew with pinto beans, small chunks of lean salt pork, and, of course, thin strips of fried cracklin's made from the duck skin. Since I like a smoky flavor to this stew, I now use an applewood- or hickory-smoked artisanal bacon, but whichever style of bacon you choose, just make sure it renders enough fat in which to brown the duck pieces.

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Place the beans in a large saucepan with enough water to cover and let soak overnight.

Drain the beans, add the clove-stuck onion, garlic, and bay leaf, and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to moderately low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain the beans, onion, and seasonings and reserve the cooking liquid.

Skin and cut the ducks into serving pieces, removing as much fat as possible. Slice the skin into thin strips and set aside. On a plate, combine the flour and salt and pepper and dredge the duck pieces in the mixture, tapping off any excess flour. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the butter and bacon together over moderately high heat till the bacon renders most of its fat, then add the chopped onions and stir till softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon and onions to a large, heavy pot. In batches, brown the duck pieces evenly in the skillet and transfer to the pot. Add the beans plus their seasonings, the basil, mustard, and salt and pepper and stir. Add the reserved bean liquid plus, if necessary, enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook till the duck and beans are very tender, about 2 hours.

In a skillet, heat the oil over moderately high heat, add the reserved strips of duck skin, and fry till crisp. Drain the strips on paper towels and use to garnish the duck and beans.

]]> http://www.chow.com James Villas 50 Main 2 cups dried pinto beans, picked over and rinsed

]]> 1 medium onion, peeled and stuck with 2 cloves, plus 2 medium onions, finely chopped

]]> 2 garlic cloves, peeled

]]> 1 bay leaf

]]> Salt to taste

]]> Two 4-pound ducks

]]> 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

]]> Freshly ground black pepper to taste

]]> 2 tablespoons butter

]]> 2 ounces fatty applewood- or hickory-smoked slab bacon (rind removed), diced

]]> Pinch of dried basil, crumbled

]]> ½ teaspoon dry mustard

]]> 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

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