I love Duck legs because their skin crisps more satisfyingly than that of the breasts and their flesh is infinitely more succulent. Dry the skin with kitchen paper and let them come to room temperature before cooking. They will be all the crisper for it. Serve it with the Pickled Vegetables.
Ingredients
For the beans:
500 gr dried cannellini beans
1 celery stick
6 thyme sprigs
8 black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
1 large shallot
For the duck:
7 garlic cloves
10 black peppercorns
8 tablespoons olive oil 8
4 duck legs
10 rosemary sprigs
Soak the dried beans in a bowl of deep, cold water overnight. The following day, drain the beans, put them into a large, deep saucepan and cover them with water.
Add the celery stick, broken in half, the thyme, peppercorns, bay and the shallot, halved. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and partially cover with a lid. Leave the beans to simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until they are tender enough to crush between finger and thumb.
For the duck, first season the olive oil with salt and pepper. Peel the garlic and put 3 of the cloves in a mortar or wooden bowl with a good pinch of sea salt and the peppercorns. Smash the garlic, salt and peppercorns to a paste with a pestle or the end of a rolling pin, then stir in the olive oil. Set the oven at 200C
Rub the duck legs all over with the seasoned oil and set aside in a cool place for half an hour. Drain the beans, reserving a good ladleful of the cooking liquor. Brown the duck legs in a roasting tin over a moderate heat, turning them now and again, until each side is golden brown. Turn the legs plump side up.
Spoon the drained beans around the duck legs, tuck in the rosemary sprigs and the reserved garlic cloves then pour in the reserved ladle of bean cooking liquor.
Bake the duck for about 45-50 minutes, turning the beans over once during cooking. Serve the duck and beans with vegetable pickle.
Original recipe Nigel Slater in the Guardian
Leave a Comment