Nearly all wild ducks are liable to have a fishy flavor, and when
handled by inexperienced cooks, are sometimes uneatable from this
cause. Before roasting them, guard against this by parboiling them
with a small carrot, peeled, put within each. This will absorb the
unpleasant taste. An onion will have the same effect; but, unless you
mean to use onion in the stuffing, the carrot is preferable. In my own
kitchen I usually put in the onion, considering a suspicion of garlic a
desideratum in roast duck, whether wild or tame.