It’s December—duck!

If you wonder why Louisiana duck hunters traipse out into the icy, muddy marshes each fall in search of their prized ducks, you needn’t look further than the tables at many of our local restaurants to find out just what all the fuss is about. In the hands of skilled hands in the kitchen, heady duck meat, crispy duck skin and even decadent duck fat can create sublime, memorable dishes. “Duck is for the diner looking for a stronger flavor than chicken, and who appreciates the way in which a game is prepared,” says David Reyes, executive chef of The Mansion Restaurant at Nottoway Plantation. “With its distinctive flavor and when paired with the right ingredients—usually something sweet to offset the strong flavor of the duck—it’s the closest thing to meat that’s not.”

Reyes and his team harvest the entire duck to create two distinct, equally satisfying duck dishes at the Mansion, a short drive across the Mississippi River in White Castle. During the week, diners can enjoy serve sugar cane glazed pan-seared duck breast ($18). “It’s seared in the pan, and the fat is rendered to leave a crispy duck skin,” Reyes explains. The duck is plated with a sugar duck glace, a reduction of duck stock made from scratch using the roasted bones, and comes with sweet potato and tasso mash and roasted Brussels sprouts. The Mansion also offers an occasional weekend special of duck confit ($18). This sumptuous preparation features cured duck hindquarters, seared and then slow cooked for 12 hours in herb- and citrus-infused duck fat, and finally served with quinoa risotto, fresh cherry tomatoes and asparagus.

The Mansion is open from breakfast and lunch seven days a week, and for dinner Tuesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Visit them here.

Baton Rouge diners don’t have to fly south to enjoy duck, though.

Brandt’s Maisonette on Government Street, for example, prepares duck in a variety of elegant ways. This month, chef-owner Greg Brandt and family feature roasted Long Island duckling served with a sauce of raspberry vinegar and Chambord, accompanied by nutted wild rice and veggies that include asparagus, sugar dilled carrots and winter squash ($36). Brandt’s also is serving a pan seared sliced breast of Muscovy duck which is served with a demiglace sauce of oranges and Grand Marnier (also $36). “We pan sear it so the skin is rendered and charred, but the meat stays pink—medium rare,” Brandt says. (Brandt’s is open Tuesday through Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m., and any day for gourmet parties of 15 to 30).

Zea’s Rotisserie and Grill at Towne Center, for example, pays homage to duck season this fall with a pair of seasonal dishes. One is Zea’s outdoorsy take on sliders, those cell phone-sized fast-food burgers served on soft buns in threes or more. Zea’s version features roasted pulled duck in tangy hoisin sauce, topped with a fresh Asian mix in a red curry vinaigrette ($9.95). Zea’s also offers Thai duck salad, which also features roasted pulled duck but this time tossed with diced tomato, cucumber, peanuts, raisins and fresh greens, all of which is bathed in tangy red curry vinaigrette and accompanied by Indonesian shrimp crackers ($12.95). Zea’s is open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.