Trilogy Of Duck

by Chef Didier Leroy

This is three ways to serve duck in one dish. It may be difficult to find duck legs that have not been turned into confit but butchers should have them.

4 duck legs
½ cup chopped carrot
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped onion
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 cups red wine
1 cup raspberry vinegar
1 cup cognac
4 cups duck stock (chicken stock or water)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup orange juice
½ cup raspberry vinegar
¼ cup sugar
2 duck breasts
200 grams foie gras
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 pint raspberries
1 bunch basil

Heat a large sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add duck legs skin-side down and sear for 5 minutes or until the skin is golden brown. Pour off duck fat and add carrot, celery, onion, bay leaf and black peppercorns. Sauté vegetables for 2 minutes or until lightly golden.

Add red wine, vinegar and cognac and enough stock or water to cover legs. Bring liquid to a boil, cover pan and turn heat to low. Simmer until duck is tender (1 to 1½ hours). Remove duck legs from braising liquid. Bring liquid to a boil and cook for 12 minutes or until reduced to sauce consistency, strain. Combine orange juice, raspberry vinegar and sugar and bring to boil. Boil for about 8 minutes or until sauce is thickened and shiny. Beat into duck leg sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Heat a large ovenproof frying pan on medium heat. Add duck breasts to frying pan skin-side down and cook on high heat for about 3 minutes or until fat starts to render. Pour off fat and place in oven for 8 minutes or until skin is very crispy and duck breast is cooked to desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes.

Cut foie gras into 4 pieces. Combine flour and sugar, and dredge foie gras in the mixture. Heat non-stick skillet on high heat and when it’s very hot add foie gras. Sear about 30 seconds to 1 minute a side. Immediately remove from skillet.

Place duck leg in centre of plate. Slice duck breast and place on top of leg. Add seared foie gras. Drizzle duck leg sauce over sliced breast. Garnish with raspberries and basil.

Wine pairing by Beppi Crosariol:

This decadent, strongly flavoured combination clamours for a wine with tart, berry-like fruit and mouth-cleansing acidity. Options abound, but the two best red choices are pinot noir (especially a red Burgundy) and gamay (especially Beaujolais). Other possibilities include merlot or even a young southern French red, such as Côtes-du-Rhône. And if you’re fond of white, that could work, too. Just make sure it’s a dry or off-dry riesling from Germany, Alsace or Niagara. International choices: Méo-Camuzet Bourgogne Rouge from France ($30); Penfolds Koonunga Hill Cabernet Merlot from Australia ($16). Canadian choice: Malivoire Pinot Noir from Niagara ($28).