Spring pasta with duck ragú

Nothing goes better with Pinot Noir than duck! The fresh acidity in the wine cuts wonderfully through the fat of roast duck. It provides just the right balance. - TEXT JOLANDE VOS | IMAGE PEXELS.COM

Spring pasta with duck ragú

Preparation approx. 1 hour + 1 hour and 50 minutes stewing time

You will need this for 6 people

• 4 duck legs, excess fat trimmed away
• sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 leeks, only the white part, halved lengthwise and cut into half rings
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100 g carrots, halved lengthwise and finely chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, sliced
• 2 large sprigs of thyme
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp fennel seeds, bruised with a knife
• 375 ml verjuice or white wine
• 1 unsprayed orange, zest + juice
• 500 ml chicken stock
• chilli flakes
• 350 g short pasta, e.g. orecchiette
• 2 tbsp leaf parsley, finely chopped

This is how you make it

Heat a large heavy-bottomed frying pan over fairly high heat. Sprinkle the duck legs with sea salt flakes and pepper, and roast them on the skin for about 10 minutes, turning halfway through. Place them on a plate. Pour out most of the fat from the pan, leaving about 2 teaspoons. Add the olive oil and fry leeks, garlic, carrot and celery for 5 minutes on low heat. Add the herbs, bay leaves and fennel seeds and fry everything for another 1 minute. Place the duck back in the pan. Pour in the verjus (or white wine), cook for 1 minute, then add the orange rind and juice, chicken stock, and a few pinches of chilli flakes. Bring to the boil and cook on low heat for 1.5 hours with the lid on (turn the duck halfway through).

Then let the duck cook on low heat without a lid for about 20 more minutes. Remove the duck legs, pull the meat off the bone and return it to the pan, discarding the skin, bones and spices. Season with salt pepper. Meanwhile, cook the pasta al dente, divide among the plates and spoon the duck ragout on top. Serve with a green salad with basil and spring onion.

More recipes?

This recipe is from: SLOW | LOUISE FRANC | GOOD COOK | ISBN: 9789461432469 | € 32.50

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