Braised duck legs with carrots and bubble-and-squeak

Name: Braised duck legs with carrots and bubble-and-squeak
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Ingredients: 2 duck legs; sea salt; freshly ground black pepper; 4 cloves garlic, peeled; 4 tbsp duck or goose fat or olive oil; 1 onion, sliced; 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 5mm rounds; 2 bay leaves; 2 whole allspice, roughly crushed; 3 cups chicken stock

Stephanie Alexander

October 18, 2011

Braised duck legs with carrots and bubble-and-squeakMarina Oliphant

Time:1-2 hours

The important point was that the legs rested on a thick bed of vegetables, chicken stock was poured over and the dish was not covered. As the legs slowly cooked, the carrots and onions absorbed some of the juices given off by the legs, and the stock reduced to a sticky moistness by the time the legs were meltingly tender.

Ingredients

2 duck legs
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, peeled
4 tbsp duck or goose fat or olive oil
1 onion, sliced
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 5mm rounds
2 bay leaves
2 whole allspice, roughly crushed
3 cups chicken stock

Method

Preheat oven to 200C.
Select a dish that will hold the duck legs fairly snugly and that can be taken straight to the table from the oven. If it is enamelled cast-iron, the initial browning can take place in it as well. This dish has a very rustic air.
Season the duck legs with salt and pepper. Cover garlic cloves with cold water and bring to the boil. Pour off water and repeat. Drain and set garlic aside. Heat half the duck fat or oil in a heavy frying pan or in an enamelled cast-iron pot and brown the duck legs well. Remove to a plate. Add the sliced onion and carrots to the pan and stir to coat well with the duck fat. Reduce heat and cook, stirring from time to time, until vegetables have softened but not coloured. Transfer vegetables to the casserole. Add garlic, bay leaves and allspice. Place the duck legs on top and pour over about 2/3 of the stock.
After 30 minutes, reduce oven to 180C and check there is still enough stock to keep the dish well moistened at this stage. Cook for a further hour, checking once or twice and dribbling in extra stock if necessary. When the legs are tender, the vegetables should be well-coloured and the juices should be well-reduced and almost sticky.
To serve
Serve with bubble-and-squeak (see Stephanie Alexander's recipe for bubble-and-squeak on cuisine.com.au).

This recipe features in Winter which is available now in all good bookstores RRP $34.95. To order direct call 1300 656 059 or visit www.smh.com.au/store