Prep Time 15 minutes - Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes - Serves 2-3
I’ve given you guys pork belly ragú, lamb ragú and beef and pork ragú. Now, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you with a duck ragú and o my days it’s so good.
Confit duck legs into a beautiful red wine and tomato sauce with star anise and mushrooms. Topped off with garlic mushrooms, fresh basil, parmesan cheese and as always a nice drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Duck Ingredients
2 duck legs.
300ml of duck fat/goose fat or veg/sunflower oil.
A few Sprigs of fresh thyme.
2 garlic cloves.
2 star anise, optional.
Ragú Ingredients
1 stick of celery, diced.
1 medium onion, diced.
1 small carrot, diced.
3 garlic cloves, chopped (keep one separate).
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, roughly chopped.
1 star anise.
250g chestnut mushrooms.
1 heap tbsp of tomato purée.
1 heap tbsp of plain flour.
100ml of red wine.
400g of tinned chopped tomatoes.
1 chicken stockpot.
Garish/Serve with
Fresh basil.
Parmesan cheese.
Method
The first thing you need to do is confit the duck legs. Confit basically means to cook something slowly in fat till tender. Place the duck into an oven-proof pot or dish along with the thyme, garlic (just keep the whole) star anise if using and season. Pour over your chosen fat. You may need a little less or a little more, the duck needs to be completely coved. Cover the pot/dish with a lid or foil and place it into a preheated oven set at 130° for 2.5 hours or till super tender and falling away from the bone. You can do this part in advance. It will keep in the fridge for weeks as long as the duck stays covered in the fat. I place the duck into a Kilner jar then pour over the fat and seal.
For the actual sauce pop the celery, onion, carrots, 2 of the garlics, rosemary and star anise into a pot. Take half of the mushrooms and dice then add to the pot. Season, pour in a good drizzle of oil and fry over a low heat for 10 minutes. As it fry’s the mushrooms will release their water so at that point turn up the heat too high and allow it to reduce.
Next, add the tomato purée, flour and cookout over a low heat for a couple of minutes. Over a high heat pour in the red wine and allow that to reduce, it will happen quite quickly.
Pour in the tomatoes than with the empty can fill it with water, swirl it around and pour into the sauce. Add the stockpot, season, cover with a lid, leaving a slight gap and simmer for 30 minutes.
While the sauce is doing its thing reducing and thickening, take the duck out of the fat. Wipe away any excess fat, pull off the skin then pull the meat away from the bone. (Don’t throw away the fat, save it for next time).
Once the sauce has had its 30 minutes add the duck and allow to simmer for another 15 minutes.
Take the remaining mushrooms and slice. Get a frying pan over a high heat, add a nob of butter and a splash of oil. Add the mushrooms, season and fry for a couple of minutes. Turn the heat to low add the remaining garlic and give it another couple of minutes.
Finally, add your favourite pasta to the ragú (why not try making your own, click here) along with some fresh basil mix then divide between 2 bowls. Sit the garlic mushrooms on top, add some grated Parmesan, a nice drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and if you are anything like me some chilli flakes, Enjoy.