Duck Leg Stracotto Recipes

ROASTED DUCK LEGS AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• On the stove, heat a small roasting pan (I use one like a slightly oversized tarte tatin pan) and sear the duck legs, skin-side down over medium heat until the skin turns golden and gives out some oil.
• Turn the legs over, and take the pan off the heat while you cut the potatoes into 1-inch slices across, then cut each slice into 4. Arrange these potato pieces around the duck legs, then let a few sprigs of thyme fall over the duck and potatoes, and season with salt and pepper, before putting into the preheated oven.
• Cook for two hours, occasionally turning the potatoes, for optimal outcome, which is tender duck legs and crispy potatoes, though both will be ready to eat after 1 1/2 hours.
• Making leftovers right: If you have even a small amount of meat left, you could bag and mark it up and store it in the freezer for up to two months for future use. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

CRISP-BRAISED DUCK LEGS WITH AROMATIC VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Put duck legs, skin side down, in a skillet large enough to accommodate all ingredients comfortably; turn heat to medium. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brown duck legs carefully and evenly, sprinkling them with salt and pepper as they cook. Meanwhile, peel and dice vegetables.
• When legs are nicely browned, turn them over and sear for just a minute or two. Remove to a plate; remove all but enough fat to moisten vegetables. Add vegetables to skillet along with some salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Return duck legs to pan, skin side up, and add stock; it should come about halfway up duck legs but should not cover them. Turn heat to high, bring to a boil, and transfer to oven.
• Cook for 30 minutes, then lower heat to 350 degrees. Continue to cook, undisturbed, until duck is tender and liquid reduced, at least another half hour. The duck is done when a thin-bladed knife pierces the meat with little resistance. When done, duck will hold nicely in a warm oven for another hour. Serve hot.

ONE-PAN ROAST DUCK LEGS WITH WHITE BEANS & CARROTS

Steps:

• If you have time, lightly salt the duck legs a day or two before cooking, scatter with some of the thyme sprigs, then cover and chill until needed. (If you don't have the time, this is not an essential step.) Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat a little oil in a shallow flameproof casserole or roasting tin. If the duck legs have been salted in advance, pat them dry with kitchen paper. Sizzle the legs in the tin or casserole, skin-side down, until golden brown and the fat has rendered out. Turn and cook for 10-15 mins to brown them all over.
• Remove the duck legs to a plate and pour away half the fat from the casserole or tin (you can save this for roasties). Return it to the heat and fry the carrots, garlic and thyme along with some seasoning for 5 mins until the carrots are starting to soften. Sit the duck legs on top, skin-side up, then pour about 100ml water over the veg. Bring to a simmer, cover and transfer to the oven to cook for 1 hr 30 mins.
• Remove the casserole from the oven and uncover. Turn the oven up to 200C/180C/gas 6. Lift the duck out onto a plate and stir the beans through the carrots and thyme. Sit the duck back on top, then return to the oven, uncovered, to cook for another 20-30 mins until the duck skin is crisp and the beans are simmering. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 mins, then serve straight from the dish.

ITALIAN POT ROAST (STRACOTTO)

Steps:

• Cut the garlic into thin slivers. Pierce the meat in many places with the point of a knife and insert the garlic slivers into the holes.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy 3- to 4-quart heatproof casserole. Add the meat and brown it well over medium heat. Remove it from the casserole. Add the remaining oil and the onions, carrots and celery. Saute them until moderately brown.
• Stir in the wine and cook for a few minutes, scraping the casserole. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and basil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and return the meat to the casserole.
• Cover tightly and cook over very low heat for at least three hours, until the meat is very tender. Turn the meat a few times during cooking.
• Remove the meat from the casserole. To serve immediately, skim the fat from the surface of the sauce, then puree the sauce in a food processor and reheat. Otherwise, refrigerate the meat and sauce overnight. Remove any congealed fat from the sauce and puree the sauce in a food processor. Reheat the meat in the sauce before serving.

SLOW-COOKED DUCK LEGS IN PORT WITH CELERIAC GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Put the duck legs in a flameproof casserole set over a medium heat. Brown all over, then remove from the casserole and set aside. Pour off all but 1 tbsp of the fat, leave more fat in the pan if you are doubling or tripling (save the drained fat for your Christmas roasties). Add the carrots and onion to the casserole and cook for 5-10 mins or until starting to caramelise. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 min more. Return the duck along with the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and put in the oven for 2 hrs.
• Meanwhile, prepare the gratin. Put the milk, cream, garlic and rosemary in a pan set over a low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer for 5 mins, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 mins. Grease 2 ramekins (about 8cm diameter, 5cm deep). Arrange the celeriac and potato slices in the ramekins, seasoning the layers as you go. Remove the garlic and rosemary from the milk, pour over the veg, then dot with butter. Cover tightly with foil and bake with the duck for 1½ hrs.
• Once cooked, remove the duck and gratins from the oven. To freeze the duck, cool, then pack into a freezer container, pushing the duck under the sauce. If it doesn't cover it, lay cling film on top. Use within 2 months. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat in the casserole and complete from Step 4. Increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Put a heavy can on top of each foil-wrapped gratin and stand for 15-20 mins, or chill like this until needed. Once pressed, turn the gratins out onto a baking tray, sprinkle with a little Parmesan and bake for 20 mins until golden.
• Meanwhile, remove the duck legs from the casserole, strain the cooking liquid into a clean pan and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce the sauce by half until thickened and glossy. Add the duck legs and heat through. Put a duck leg on each plate with a little sauce spooned over the top. Serve with the gratins and seasonal veg.

ROAST DUCK LEGS WITH RED WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the duck legs in one layer in a roasting tin on a bed of rosemary sprigs and garlic cloves. Sprinkle with salt and five-spice powder. Roast for 1 hr.
• Bring the wine and jelly to a gentle simmer, stirring to dissolve the jelly, then continue to simmer for 5 mins. When the duck has been cooking for an hr remove from the oven and spoon off almost all the fat (save it for roast potatoes), then pour the wine mixture around it and return to the oven for 10-15 mins to finish cooking and reduce the sauce.