Tender Duck Legs With Baby Turnips Recipes

TENDER DUCK LEGS WITH BABY TURNIPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 3. Heat a shallow casserole dish or flameproof roasting dish, then take your time to brown the duck legs slowly on all sides - a good 15-20 mins. Remove the duck from the pan, pour off all but 1 tbsp of fat, then add the onion, garlic and herb bundle. Cook for 5 mins, then toss in the carrots.
• Nestle the duck legs, skin side up, among the vegetables, then pour over the stock. Roast for 1 hr until the stock is gently bubbling. Scatter the turnips into the puddles of stock between the duck legs, then return to the oven for 30-40 mins until the duck legs are very tender and the turnips are cooked.

GRILLED DUCK WITH SAUTEED TURNIPS

Steps:

• Remove the ducks' legs, including thighs. Using a boning knife, slice the legs three-quarters of the way through at the joint where they meet the thighs. Cut from the skinless side. This flattens the meat, allowing it to cook faster. Run the knife along both sides of the legbone and thighbone, from the skinless side, just to separate the meat. Remove all skin from the legs and thighs. Remove the duck breasts and skin them. (A butcher can do all this for you.)
• Place all the duck meat in a roasting pan. Combine the salt, bay leaf, thyme, clove and black peppercorns in a blender or spice grinder. Grind them to a powder. Sprinkle the powder all over the duck pieces. Rub the duck pieces with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and add the garlic. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for several hours, or overnight.
• Before cooking the duck, slice the turnips very thinly. You should have about six cups. Place the turnips in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, with the remaining olive oil, 2 tablespoons butter and garlic clove. Place the skillet over the hot grill along with the duck legs, uncovered. Cook the turnips, turning them occasionally, until they are soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from grill, cover and keep warm.
• Cook the duck legs for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally. When the duck legs are done, remove them from grill and place in a roasting pan. Keep warm. Place the breasts on the grill. Cook for about 10 minutes, turning once. Place the breasts in the roasting pan with the legs and add the shallots, butter and parsley. Place roasting pan over the grill and let the butter melt and mix with the duck juices. Place the duck meat on a serving platter or serving dishes. Mix the pan juices well and bring to a boil. Pour over duck meat and serve with the turnips.

RED-WINE-BRAISED DUCK LEGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. and season duck legs with salt and pepper.
• In a heavy kettle just large enough to hold legs in one layer, cook legs, skin sides down, over moderately high heat 10 to 15 minutes, or until skin in scrip and mahogany colored, removing fat from kettle as it is rendered with a metal bulb baster (or very carefully tilting the kettle and spooning off). Turn legs over and cook until browned on the other side, about 2 minutes, transferring to a plate.
• Pour off fat from kettle and deglaze with wine, scraping up brown bits. Boil wine until reduced to a syrup and add garlic, thyme and 1/2 cup dried fruit. Return duck legs, skin sides up, to kettle and add broth. Bring mixture to a simmer and braise, uncovered, in oven 2 hours, or until legs are very tender. Transfer legs to a platter and keep warm.
• Pour braising mixture into a 1-quart measuring cup and let stand until fat rises to the top. Skim off fat and pour liquid through a sieve into a saucepan, pressing hard on solids. Boil liquid until reduced by about one third and slightly thickened and add remaining 1/2 cup dried fruit. Simmer sauce until fruit is softened, about 5 minutes, and season with salt and pepper.
• Serve duck legs with sauce and noodles or roasted and mashed potatoes.

BRAISED DUCK WITH TURNIPS

Steps:

• Cut away duck backbones and discard. Cut off first 2 joints of each wing and reserve. Cut ducks into quarters. Remove any fat. Pat duck pieces dry with paper towels. Pierce skin all over with fork. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat vegetable oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add duck quarters, skin side down, and cook until golden, about 8 minutes. Turn and cook 3 minutes longer. Transfer to large bowl. Add wings and giblets to Dutch oven and cook until golden, turning frequently, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to another bowl.
• Pour off all but 2 tablespoons duck fat from Dutch oven. Add onions, carrots, parsley stems, thyme and bay leaf to Dutch oven. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add 3 1/2 cups broth, wine, giblets and wings. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
• Strain liquids and return to pot. Add duck quarters; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover partially and simmer until cooked through, turning occasionally, about 40 minutes. Transfer duck to plate.
• Cook turnips in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 25 minutes. Drain; cut into quarters. Combine 1/4 cup chicken broth and cornstarch in small bowl and whisk to blend.
• Skim fat from duck cooking liquid. Boil liquid until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, about 10 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and whisk until sauce thickens slightly. Add duck and turnips. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until duck and turnips are heated through, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm over medium heat.) Transfer to large bowl. Top with minced parsley.