Recipe Manuscript

Chaud-Froid De Pato

Name: Chaud-Froid De Pato
Prep time: PTPT45M
Cook time: PTPT2H
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 2 ducks (2–2.5 kg each); 40 g wheat flour; 200 ml concentrated duck or chicken stock; Reserved duck livers and edible innards (about 150 g); Salt, to taste; Pepper, to taste; Optional: gelatin sheets if sauce doesn’t set as desired

"Chaud-Froid Of Duck"

1904

From the treasured pages of Cuaderno de Carmen Volante

Written by Cármen Volante

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)European Advanced Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1904

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Chaud-Froid De Pato

"Se escogen dos patos de buena calidad sangrándolos para matarlos. Se ponen a asar en las brasas lentamente de modo que queden tiernos y jugosos. Se cortan en caliente. Aparte se hace una salsa de harina tostada, que se colorea con el jugo que han soltado los patos; se deja un poco espesa y se mezcla con un poco más que la sustancia de carne, muy concentrada. Se mezclan con esta salsa mientras cuece, los hígados de pato y interior bien machacado; se mueve bien esta mezcla y cuando está medio fria se saltea cada trozo de pato, dejándolo enfriar completamente. En seguida se estocan los trozos apretados unos contra otros, y se ponen derechos y reunidos juntos en un molde, en forma de enrejado vertiendo por encima una parte de la salsa gelatinizada. Se deja cuajar en la cueva o entre hielo, se quita el molde y en seguida sobre el armazón de pato se estocan."

English Translation

"Select two good quality ducks, bleeding them to kill them. Roast them slowly over the embers so that they become tender and juicy. Cut them while hot. Separately, make a sauce with toasted flour, coloring it with the juice released by the ducks; let it become a bit thick and mix in a bit more than the concentrated meat juice. While the sauce is cooking, add the well-mashed duck livers and innards; mix this well, and when it's half-cooled, sauté each piece of duck, letting it cool completely. Then, tightly pack the pieces together, arranging them upright and close together in a mold in a lattice-like fashion, pouring some of the gelatinized sauce over them. Let it set in a cool cellar or on ice, remove the mold, and then stack more duck on top of the arranged pieces."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe is written in the concise, instruction-driven style typical of early twentieth-century Spanish cookery manuscripts—expecting a knowledgeable cook to fill in gaps. Quantities are rarely provided, reflecting the assumption that cooks would adjust based on experience and the kitchen’s needs. Spanish orthography is period-typical, with some older grammatical forms and phrasing. The stepwise process—roasting, making a roux-based sauce, incorporating offal, then setting en gelee—is typical of aristocratic take-home French dishes, though simplified for a domestic kitchen.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cuaderno de Carmen Volante - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cuaderno de Carmen Volante (1904)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Cármen Volante

Era

1904

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A handwritten culinary treasure from 1904, this manuscript brims with delicious soups, salsas, tantalizing meat entrées, embutidos, fresh fish, irresistible desserts, preserves, cakes, and refreshing drinks. Each page tempts with recipes sure to inspire any gourmet’s imagination.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe is drawn from an early twentieth-century Spanish manuscript cookbook compiled by Carmen Volante in 1904. The compilation showcases eclectic household recipes—from hearty mains to sweets—reflecting the culinary landscape of turn-of-the-century Spain. The 'chaud-froid' style, borrowed from French cuisine, features meat prepared in advance, coated in a rich, gelatinous sauce, then served cold. At a time when refrigeration was rare, dishes like these were cooled in cellars or on ice, embodying both thrift and sophistication.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back in 1904, the ducks would have been roasted over open embers or in cast iron ovens, with constant attention and hand-turning. The sauce was likely prepared in a heavy metal saucepan, stirred with wooden spoons. Shaping and setting the dish required a tin or ceramic mold, pressed down with weights or a tight-fitting lid. To chill the dish, it would have been placed in an icebox, a cold cellar, or even packed in ice, since mechanical refrigeration was still extremely rare.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

2 hrs

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

2 ducks (4.5–5.5 lb each)
1.4 oz wheat flour
7 fl oz concentrated duck or chicken stock
Reserved duck livers and edible innards (about 5.3 oz)
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Optional: gelatin sheets if sauce doesn’t set as desired

Instructions

Select two ducks (about 4.5–5.5 lb each), ensuring they’re of good quality, and butcher them, reserving all innards, including the livers.
Slowly roast the ducks over embers or in an oven at 320°F (160°C), basting occasionally, until the meat is tender and juicy—about 2 hours.
While the ducks roast, collect the drippings and juices.
Prepare a roux by toasting 1.4 oz of wheat flour in a pan until golden.
Add the reserved duck juices to the flour to create a thick, flavorful sauce.
Further enrich this by adding 7 fl oz of concentrated duck or chicken stock.
Mash the reserved duck livers and any edible giblets finely.
Stir them into the simmering sauce and cook gently, stirring until incorporated, then let the mixture cool to room temperature so it begins to thicken.
While still a bit warm, toss the sliced duck pieces in this sauce, coating evenly.
Arrange the coated duck pieces tightly together in a loaf pan or rectangular mold, pressing them into a lattice or neat formation.
Pour additional gelatinized sauce over and let set in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight, until fully set.
Carefully unmold and serve chilled or at cool room temperature, slicing as desired.

Estimated Calories

500 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 45 minutes to prepare the ducks and sauce, and about 2 hours to cook the ducks. After that, you need to chill the dish for at least 4 hours before serving. Each serving contains about 500 calories, and the recipe makes 8 servings.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.