Cabernet Braised Duck Legs with Chanterelle Conserva
The rich, elegant flavors of this dish begin with duck legs braising in an aromatic mixture with red wine and duck stock, continuing with the reduction sauce accented with dark berries. Alongside is a simple, quick side of chanterelle mushroom conserva enlivened with sherry vinegar. In the video above, the duck is also served with grilled fennel and Swiss chard.
Ingredients
- 4 duck legs (about 8 ounces each)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium onion, cut into large dice
- 1 medium carrot, cut into large dice
- 2 stalks celery, cut into large dice
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled whole
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 pieces star anise
- 1 teaspoon juniper berries
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 1/2 cups robust red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon
- 2 cups duck stock or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, divided
- 3/4 cup black currants, huckleberries, blackberries, or other dark berries
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Heat a large, deep sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the duck legs with salt and pepper. Add them to the pan skin side down and sear to lightly brown the skin and render some of the duck fat, about 3 minutes. Turn the legs over and brown the other side for an additional minute or two. Set the duck legs aside on a plate.
- Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are beginning to lightly brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cinnamon sticks, star anise, juniper berries, coriander, cloves, thyme, and rosemary and cook, stirring, until well incorporated and aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the wine, stirring to lift up any flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the wine is reduced by about half, 3 to 5 minutes, then add the duck stock. Bring the liquid to a low boil, then return the duck legs, skin side up, to the pan in a single layer. Most of the duck skin should be above the level of the liquid, so that it crisps as it cooks. Put the pan (uncovered) in the oven and braise until the meat is very tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Transfer the braised duck legs to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Strain the cooking liquids, discarding the aromatics. Melt 1 teaspoon of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the currants and cook until they are tender, mashing them with a spoon to help draw out their juices, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the strained cooking liquids and simmer over medium-high until reduced to a sauce consistency, about 10 to 20 minutes depending on the volume of braising liquids you have. Strain the sauce, returning it to the pan. Add the remaining butter and stir over medium-low heat so that it melts gently into the sauce. Taste the sauce for seasoning, adding more salt or pepper to taste.
- To serve, arrange the duck legs on individual plates and spoon the sauce over. Serve with the chanterelle conserva (below) alongside if you like.
Chanterelle Conserva
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 ounces chanterelle mushrooms, brushed clean and trimmed
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled whole
- 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 small sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- Sea salt
- 1/2 cup sherry vinegar
Directions
- If the chanterelle mushrooms you have are quite small, like those in the video above, they can be used whole. Larger chanterelles should be halved or quartered into roughly bite-sized pieces.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic cloves and cook until aromatic, 30 to 60 seconds, then add the chanterelles, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, and pepper flakes with a good pinch of salt. Sauté until the chanterelles are tender and lightly browned 3 to 4 minutes; any liquid given off by the mushrooms should evaporate, cook for an extra minute or two if needed. Add the sherry vinegar and remaining olive oil and simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes, then set the skillet aside until cooled to room temperature.
- To serve, use a fork to lift the chanterelle pieces from the liquid and arrange them around the braised duck legs.
