Red Wine-Braised Duck Legs with Prunes
Prunes add a melting sweetness to red wine-scented braising juices for an unfussy one-pan main course. Serves 8
Ingredients
- 8 Pekin duck legs
- 8 sprigs of thyme
- 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- 16 whole cloves
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled, trimmed and sliced into thin wedges
- 16 prunes, with or without pits
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 2 cups rich chicken or duck stock
Directions
1. Trim the duck legs to remove excess fat. Cut along the sides of the thigh and leg bones to expose the meat next to the bone.
2. Lay the duck legs on a flat surface so the meat side is facing up. Sprinkle both sides evenly with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt per leg. Distribute the garlic, thyme, black pepper and cloves evenly over the legs, pressing the seasonings well into the meat. Press two legs together, meat side to meat side. You will have four pairs of legs.
3. Place the legs in a shallow pan. Cover with plastic wrap and press lightly with a weighted pan on top. Turn the legs over the next day. Drain any juice from the bottom of the pan, re-weight and marinate overnight.
4. To cook the duck, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
5. Unpair the legs and clean off the thyme, garlic and cloves; reserve them. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, sear the legs skin side down until golden, about 5 minutes on each side. Adjust the heat if the pan gets too hot. Remove the seared legs to a plate.
6. Add the onion to the pan. Sauté until golden, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Add the prunes to the pan along with the wine. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the wine until the pan is almost dry.
8. Add the legs back to the pan along with the chicken stock and the reserved thyme, garlic and 4 cloves. Bring to a boil. Cover and place in the preheated oven.
9. Cook for 1 hour. Remove the lid and continue to cook for 30 minutes more. Add up to ¼ cup of water to the pan if it looks dry. You don’t want the juices to burn.
10. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the duck legs to a plate along with the prunes and onions. Pick out the cloves and thyme sprigs, then pour the juices over the duck. Serve with wild rice, golden roasted potatoes or the side of your choice.
Organic prunes may be purchased from The Vineyard Kitchen Larder.