Roasted duck legs with potatoes
Duck legs with potatoes roasting in duck fat
Adapted from Nigella. This is very simple and although it takes a little time in the oven there is very little prep. I also think duck legs are rather tastier than the leaner breast meat.
Ingredients (for serving two):
- 2 duck legs – season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg
- potatoes peeled and cut in chunks (about 2 inches)
- thyme (or dried herbs de Provence)
- garlic cloves – whole in skin
- Salad leaves – dressed with balsamic dressing (2/3 olive oil, 1/3 balsamic vinegar, 1 spoon mustard, 1 drizzle honey, salt and pepper, 1 mashed garlic clove)
1) Preheat oven to 180 degrees centigrade
2) Fry duck legs skin side for a couple of minutes till skin starts to crisp and fat begins to render. Transfer along with fat to a roasting tray – now skin side up. Arrange potatoes around the duck legs along with the garlic cloves and thyme. Mix so coated with duck fat.
3) Roast in oven at 180 for about 1.5 hours – up to 2 if they are very big legs… give the potatoes a toss in the fat once or twice while roasting so they are evening browned and crisped.
4) Serve with dressed salad leaves
Serve with salad and rather good red wine...
I too vastly prefer duck legs to duck breast! So much more flavour and simpler besides. I had good luck with this recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Braised-Duck-Legs-with-Shallots-and-Parsnips-109109 (and I rather like the idea of duck legs emerging like alligators in a swamp…)
Yes, that looks great must try it as soon as a find parsnips again here (they are the one ingredient that is slightly elusive…) Look at this article. I mentioned it earlier in the blog but my links appear rather discreetly – may have to jazz up the color. He has a braised duck with Pinot Noir:
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/09/dining/duck-leg-confidential.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm