Braised duck ragu

This recipe for duck ragu fits the slow food theme in many ways. Quite apart from the length of time it takes to cook (NB it’s not at all labour intensive time), it also takes some time to source the ingredients. Our supermarkets don’t carry duck other than the pre-cooked pre-sliced peking duck. Instead, I went to the poultry man at the fresh food market, and had a lengthy discussion about duck sizes, duck pieces, the recent storm, how long he’s been working at the market, etc etc. With so few sources of duck around he could charge whatever price he wanted but he sells it for about the same price as free range chicken. He’s won a customer in me , not based on price but on friendliness and product knowledge, which is one of the pillars of the slow food movement.
Duck tends to be a more eco-friendly and humane food choice than chicken because of intense factory farming in the chicken industry. But until this recipe, I tended not to cook duck. Previous efforts had left it chewy, overly gamey and often with that horrible aftertaste of congealed fat coating my mouth. Have I put you off yet?! Let me reassure you, this recipe is different. The long cooking time instead makes the meat moist and tender. The verjuice adds an unexpected sweetness to the dish, with the parsley adding both freshness and also a little greenery. I was attracted to this dish by the picture in Karen Martini’s Where the Heart is. I have to admit, my finished product looks nothing like hers but it certainly tastes delicious.

Braised Duck Ragu

Serves 6

1 duck, cut into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 brown onion, chopped finely
6 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 bay leaf
2 leeks, sliced finely
2 carrots, sliced finely
3 stalks celery
5 sprigs thyme
600 ml verjuice
2 litres chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped flat leaf parsley ¼ cup, plus extra for garnishing
Flat pasta eg pappardelle, fettuccine

1. Preheat oven to 200C ( 400F). Season duck with salt and then put on a roasting rack in a baking tray. Roast on top shelf for 35 minutes or until golden. ( Duck is notoriously fatty, the rack allows the fat to drip away. This can be drained from the baking tray and saved for making delicious roasted vegetables.)
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large heavy based saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and vegetables. Cook for 15 minutes over low heat until onions are translucent and vegetables tender.
3. Add the duck and verjuice and simmer for five minutes. Then add the chicken stock, cover with a lid and simmer for forty minutes or until duck is very tender.
4. Remove the duck from the saucepan. While it is still warm , remove meat and skin from bones. Cut the meat finely and return to the saucepan. Add ¼ cup parsley. Boil over high heat for 5 -10 minutes until the sauce has reduced (thickened)
5. Meanwhile cook pasta according to packet directions in a large saucepan of salted boiling water.
6. Mix duck sauce through pasta and serve.

Adapted from Karen Martini’s Where the heart is