Duck Sausage

• 2 ready-to-cook ducks, about 6 pounds each (see note)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried thyme
• 1/2 bay leaf, broken into small pieces and finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• Salt to taste, if desired
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup shelled, blanched pistachios

1. It is best to prepare these sausages one day in advance and refrigerate them until ready to cook.
2. Cut away and reserve the meat from the ducks.
3. There should be about 2 pounds of meat.
4. Discard the bones and any fibrous membranes.
5. Reserve 1/4 pound duck fat.
6. Cut the duck meat into 1-inch cubes and put in a mixing bowl.
7. Chop up the duck fat and add it and the thyme, bay leaf, allspice, salt and pepper.
8. Blend well.
9. If using a sausage stuffer, put half the duck mixture into the container of a food processor and blend until the mixture is slightly finer than hamburger.
10. Repeat with the remainder.
11. Combine the two batches and add the pistachios.
12. Blend well in a bowl.
13. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for filling the sausage casings.
14. If using a meat grinder and stuffer, follow the manufacturer's instructions for stuffing the casings.
15. When the filling has been added, pinch off the casing and tie a knot at each end.
16. Tie a piece of string at 5- or 6-inch intervals.
17. There should be 11 or 12 sausages.
18. Wrap the sausages in clear plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
19. To cook, cut off as many lengths of sausage as desired.
20. Prick each sausage all over, forming pin-sized holes.
21. Grill or broil the sausages, turning as necessary, about 15 minutes or until done.
22. Or preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
23. Place the sausages in a skillet and add 1/8 inch water.
24. Bring the water to a boil on top of the stove and place the skillet in the oven.
25. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, or until the sausages are done.

ready, thyme, bay leaf, allspice, salt, freshly ground pepper, pistachios

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/2608 (may not work)