Duck Leg Farrotto With Pearl Onions And Bloomsdale Spinach Recipes

ROASTED DUCK BREASTS WITH FARRO RISOTTO AND DUCK CONFIT

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Mix first 5 ingredients and duck legs and thighs in bowl. Cover leg-thigh mixture and breasts and carcasses separately; chill overnight.
• Preheat oven to 200°F. Heat duck fat in medium ovenproof pot over medium heat to 200°F. Add duck leg-thigh mixture; transfer to oven and cook until meat falls from bones, about 2 hours. Allow duck confit to cool 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Place duck carcasses in large ovenproof pot; roast uncovered until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Transfer pot to stove top. Add leek and next 3 ingredients and sauté over medium-high heat until vegetables are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add Port; boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add 6 cups water; boil gently for 30 minutes. Add peppercorns; boil broth 10 minutes. Strain broth; skim fat from surface. Boil broth in medium saucepan until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 30 minutes. Whisk butter into sauce. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill confit and sauce separately.)
• Rewarm duck confit to melt fat; remove duck from fat. Cut meat from bones and add to sauce.
• For farro risotto:
• Soak farro in cold water 20 minutes. Drain; rinse. Bring 8 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add 1/2 cup oil and farro. Simmer 20 minutes. Drain in strainer and rinse. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté 1 minute. Add farro and wine. Simmer until almost all liquid evaporates, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth 1 cup at a time and simmer until liquid is absorbed and farro is just tender, stirring frequently, about 14 minutes total. Stir in cheese and 1 tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, prepare duck breasts:
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Sprinkle duck breasts with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add duck breasts, skin side down; cook until skin is crisp, about 5 minutes. Turn duck over. Cook 1 minute; remove from heat.
• Bring honey to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add nuts and star anise; boil until honey is reduced to thick syrup, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Spoon honey-nut mixture onto duck breasts. Cook in oven about 4 minutes for medium-rare.
• Rewarm duck confit sauce over low heat. Divide risotto among 4 plates. Using slotted spoon, remove duck meat from sauce and spoon over risotto. Slice breasts diagonally; arrange around risotto. Drizzle duck with confit sauce.
• *Farro is sold at some Italian markets and natural foods stores.
• **A brown star-shaped seed pod available at Asian markets and specialty foods stores and in the spice section of some supermarkets.

RED-WINE-BRAISED DUCK LEGS WITH ROASTED PEARS AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Trim excess fat from duck legs, reserving fat for the sautéed kale. In a large bowl marinate duck legs in wine with bouquet garni, covered and chilled, 2 hours.
• Transfer legs to a plate, reserving wine and bouquet garni. In a heavy kettle large enough to hold legs in one layer heat oil over moderately high heat until hot. Pat legs dry with paper towels and season with salt. Cook legs, skin sides down, 20 minutes, or until skin is crisp and mahogany-colored, removing fat from kettle as it rendered with a metal bulb baster (or very carefully pouring it off). Turn legs and cook until browned on other side, about 2 minutes, transferring as browned to a plate.
• Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons fat from kettle and sauté vegetables with salt to taste, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Add duck legs, skin sides up, with parsley sprigs and reserved wine and bouquet garni and simmer, covered, 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Braised duck legs may be prepared up to this point 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat mixture over low heat, adding 1/3 cup water, before proceeding with duck preparation.
• Make roasted pears and onions during last hour of duck braising:
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a shallow baking pan large enough to hold onions and pears in one layer melt butter in oven and swirl pan to coat. Add onion halves, cut sides down, and quarters, and bake 30 minutes. Add pears, cut side down, to pan and bake 20 minutes, or until pears and onions are tender and lightly browned. In a cup stir together lemon juice, honey, and salt and add to onions and pears, tossing to coat.
• Transfer duck legs to a warm plate and keep warm, covered with foil. Discard parsley sprigs and bouquet garni and strain liquid into a 1-quart measuring cup, reserving vegetables. Let liquid stand until fat rises to top and skim and discard fat. Return liquid to kettle and simmer until reduced to about 2 cups. Add beurre manié, a little at a time, whisking, and boil 2 minutes. Stir reserved vegetables and minced parsley into sauce and heat through if necessary.
• Serve duck legs, with sauce spooned over them and garnished with parsley sprigs, with roasted pears and onions.

CREAMED SPINACH & PEARL ONIONS

Steps:

• In a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add pearl onions; cook and stir until tender, 6-8 minutes. Stir in cream. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half, 6-8 minutes., Stir in cheese, salt and pepper. Add spinach; cook, covered, until spinach is wilted, 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

DUCK LEG FARROTTO WITH PEARL ONIONS AND BLOOMSDALE SPINACH

Steps:

• Place the broth in a saucepan and set over low heat to keep hot.
• Pick the meat off the duck legs and discard the bones. You should end up with about 1 1/2 cups of loosely packed meat.
• In a high-sided sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the garlic and minced onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft. Add the farro and stir to coat in the butter, then add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine is absorbed, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Add 1 cup of the broth. Cook until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• While the farrotto is cooking, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over high heat. Add the pearl onions and sauté until well browned in spots and tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
• Add 1 more cup broth to the farrotto and continue cooking until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add another 1 1/2 to 2 cups broth in 1/2-cup additions. After each addition, continue tasting the farrotto for doneness. It should be nearly tender with some resilience. Add the duck meat, spinach, and pearl onions. Cook until the spinach is completely wilted, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Remove from the heat and fold in the cheese and the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. The farrotto should be creamy and glossy. Serve.