Duck Braised In Banyuls And Turnip Parsnip Gratin With Prunes Recipes

Steps:

• Trim the excess fat from the duck legs. Season them with the thyme leaves, orange zest, and cracked black pepper. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Take the duck out of the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking. After 15 minutes, season the legs on all sides with 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt.
• Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in the olive oil and wait 1 minute. Place the duck legs in the pan, skin side down, and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until the skin is deep golden brown and crispy. (If your pan is too small to fit all of the legs, brown them in batches or in two pans, so you don't crowd them.) Turn the duck legs over, reduce the heat to medium, and cook 2 minutes on the other side. Move the duck, skin side up, to a braising pan. (The duck legs should just fit in the pan.)
• Discard half the fat, and return the pan to the stove over medium heat. Add the onion, fennel, carrot, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and a pinch of pepper. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon to scrape up all the crusty bits.
• When the vegetables are nicely browned and caramelized, add the balsamic vinegar and Banyuls. Turn the heat up to high, bring the liquid to a boil, and cook 6 to 8 minutes, until it has reduced by half. Add 3 cups stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer 5 minutes.
• Pour the broth and vegetables over the duck, then scrape the vegetables that have fallen on top of the duck back into the broth. The liquid should not quite cover the duck (add more stock if necessary). Cover the pan very tightly with aluminum foil and a tight-fitting lid if you have one. Braise in the oven about 2 1/2 hours, until the duck is very tender.
• To check the duck for doneness, carefully remove the lid and foil, and pierce a piece of the duck with a paring knife. If the meat is done, it will yield easily and be tender but not quite falling off the bone.
• Turn the oven up to 400°F.
• Carefully transfer the duck to a baking sheet and return it to the oven to brown for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Strain the broth into a saucepan, pressing down on the vegetables with a ladle to extract all the juices. Skim the top layer of fat from the sauce. If necessary, reduce the broth over medium-high heat about 5 minutes, to thicken it slightly. Taste the juices for seasoning.
• Transfer the duck legs to a serving platter. Spoon the juices over the duck, and scatter the parsley leaves over the top. Serve with the turnip-parsnip gratin with prunes.
• Turnip-Parsnip Gratin with Prunes
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Use a mandoline to slice the turnips and parsnips into 1/16-inch-thick rounds, and put them into two separate bowls.
• Pour 1/2 cup cream onto the bottom of a 9-by-9-inch (or equivalent) gratin dish. Place one layer of turnips on the bottom of the dish. (The turnips should overlap by about half.) Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Scatter a third of the prunes on top. Arrange a layer of parsnips over the turnips and prunes. Press the parsnips down with your fingers, letting the cream soak up through the layers. This will ensure that the cream is evenly distributed and coats the vegetables well. Drizzle with 1/2 cup cream and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, a healthy pinch of pepper, and 1 teaspoon thyme.
• Arrange another layer of turnips and drizzle another 1/4 cup cream over them. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, a pinch of pepper, and 1 teaspoon thyme. Scatter a third of the prunes on top and continue with another layer of parsnips. Drizzle on 1/2 cup cream and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Press the vegetables down with your fingers, allowing the cream to come up through the layers and coat the vegetables evenly.
• Finish the gratin with one more layer, this time of both parsnip and turnip slices, arranging this layer nicely, since it will be the top of your gratin. Scatter the remaining prunes over the top. Drizzle with 1/4 to 1/2 cup cream and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, freshly ground black pepper, and the remaining teaspoon thyme. Press the gratin down with your fingers again. The cream should cover the potatoes but not be too soupy. Add more cream if the gratin seems dry.
• Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake about 1 1/2 hours, until the vegetables are tender when pierced. Remove from the oven and carefully uncover. Turn the oven to 425°F and return the gratin to the oven. Cook another 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is nice and golden brown (as in "gratinéed").
• Note
• You can braise the duck a day ahead, just remember it has to marinate at least 4 hours first. Make the gratin in the morning, then reheat and gratinée just before serving.

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.

Steps:

• Trim excess fat from duck and reserve. Season flesh side with salt and pepper. Place a 4-quart oven-proof casserole over medium-high heat, and put a 2-inch piece of fat in casserole; when fat starts to render, remove it. Add duck pieces, skin side down, and sear without turning until skin is golden brown. Do not crowd duck; add pieces a few at a time. When duck is seared discard all but a thin film of the fat in the pot.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place shallots and turnips in casserole and sear, turning gently, over medium heat until golden. Remove to a dish and season with salt and pepper. Pour wine into casserole and simmer briefly, scraping bottom of pan. Add garlic and stock. Return duck to casserole, skin side up. Add thyme, cover and bake 45 minutes.
• Remove casserole from oven. Remove duck. Skim excess fat from casserole. Place shallots and turnips in casserole, place duck pieces on top of vegetables, cover and bake 1 hour.
• Remove duck from casserole and skim excess fat from sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return duck to casserole. Just before serving, reheat briefly on top of stove.

Steps:

• Separating the duck:
• Cut off most of the fatty flap of neck skin and reserve. Insert a sharp knife into 1 breast near the shoulder joint and slice - in a semicircle - around the wishbone. Slide your finger in back of wishbone and pry it out.
• To remove the legs, lift the duck by one leg and cut through the skin all around the thigh, including the meaty piece along the backbone, called the "oyster." Grasp the leg at the knee and pull back the thigh, to expose the joint. Cut through it and pull the leg off the carcass in 1 piece. Repeat to remove the other leg. Cut the drumsticks from the thigh pieces.
• To remove the breast halves, slice along both sides of the breastbone. Lay the duck on its side, and cut through the upper shoulder joint. Hold the carcass down by the neck with one hand, grasp the shoulder section with the other, and pull off the entire breast half, in 1 piece. Repeat on the other side. Pull out the 2 slim meaty filets that remain on either side of the breastbone.
• Chop off the wing tips. Cut around the wing on 1 breast piece to free it from the breastbone; separate the largest wing joint from the other 2. Repeat on the other side.
• You should now have 12 pieces to put in the pan: 2 large breast pieces, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, 2 small breast filets, and 4 wing pieces.
• Finally, trim any loose, fatty flaps of skin from the carcass, the breast, or the leg pieces.
• Frying the duck:
• Set the pan over moderate heat. Slice the reserved neck skin into 3 or 4 strips and put them in the pan to begin rendering fat. Season the duck pieces with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the 1/4 teaspoon pepper. When there's enough fat to film the pan bottom, lay in all the pieces, skin side down (you can push aside the strips of neck skin, but leave them in the pan).
• Raise the heat to medium-high, and cook skin side down and uncovered. The duck skin will shrink and color, and lots of fat will accumulate in the pan. Check the underside of the pieces once or twice t make sure they are not burning; lower the heat slightly if necessary. Fry until the skin on all the pieces is well browned and quite crisp; the whole process should take 20 to 25 minutes.
• Turn the heat down to low. Leave the duck pieces on their skin - they should be half submerged in fat - and strew the parsnip pieces, shallots, and garlic cloves all around them in the pan. Add the rosemary and bay leaves, and sprinkle over 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cover the pan, turn down the heat to low, and cook for 30 minutes. Check occasionally to make sure that the duck is gently steaming; adjust the heat as necessary.
• When the duck and vegetables are tender - pierce with a sharp knife to check - turn off the heat. Immediately lift the duck and vegetable pieces from the pan with the spoon or skimmer, allowing the fat to drain, and arrange on a serving platter.
• Pour off the clear duck fat from the pan - you will have 1 1/2 cups or so - and save for other uses. Add 1 cup of water to the pan, bring to a boil, scraping with a wooden spatula to melt all the solidified juice, and pour over the duck. Scatter chopped parsley over and serve.
• A Côtes du Rhône, Syrah, or Grenache-type wine would be good with this duck.

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.

Steps:

• Salt and pepper duck generously on both sides. Place halves, skin side down, in large saute pan (preferably seasoned cast-iron or nonstick) or 2 medium saute pans. Wedge thyme and garlic under skin. Cover pan with lid or foil; place over low heat. Braise for 1 hour (duck should crackle and sizzle gently; skin should be golden and crisp; most fat should be rendered). Turn duck; cover pan. Braise for 1 more hour, until duck bottom is well browned and meat very tender.
• Remove duck to cutting board; cut halves in half. Reserve fat from pan. In clean saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons fat (if there is not enough, use canola oil) over medium-high heat. Place duck pieces skin side down, and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, just until skin is crisp and dark. Transfer to dish, and serve.