BURNISHED TAMARIND DUCK LEGS (SERVES 4)
“crisp & melting” with spiced spring peas, charred lettuce & Jersey Royals
WHAT YOU NEED
Ingredients:
4 duck legs, French trimmed, well pricked with a fork and seasoned with sea salt
Braising ingredients
1 medium onion and 3 cloves garlic, diced, gently fried in a little sunflower oil until soft and translucent
2 tbsp tamarind paste, black (TRS brand is best)
75ml water
⅓ un-waxed lemon, de-seeded
30g ginger
3 tbsp tomato puree
20ml cider vinegar (5%)
Pinch sea salt
Spices: 2 cloves, ½ star anise, ½ tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp cumin all freshly ground, then add 1 heaped tsp turmeric
3 tbsp runny honey
Peas, lettuce & potato ingredients:
2 banana shallots, finely sliced
85g unsalted butter, cubed and cold
3 tsp of light curry powder or: 2 tsp coriander, 1 tsp cumin fruits, 2 green cardamom pods freshly ground then add 1 tsp turmeric, ½ tsp powdered cassia
sea salt to taste
50ml white wine
100ml chicken stock
350g frozen peas or petit pois
2 small heads of baby gem, outer green leaves removed and sliced to large julienne, ‘hearts’ cut in half then grilled to char and wilt slightly
400g Jersey Royals washed & scrubbed whole, then gently boiled with salt and mint, cooled and sliced into 8mm rounds
A small handful of freshly torn mint leaves
HOW TO MAKE IT
Duck:
- Turn your oven to 190˚C
- Blitz the all sauce ingredients in a food processor, set aside
- Pop the legs into a shallow, medium-sized roasting tray, decant the sauce onto and around the duck legs, cover with foil, place onto a middle shelf of the oven and cook for approximately 75 to 90 minutes until succulent and tender, basting several times, adding more water if required during cooking, then remove from the oven.
- Allow it to cool slightly. Best is to remove the lower leg bone by gently twisting it, being careful not to spoil the shape of the leg
- Turn on the oven grill to a medium heat
- Foil-line and oil a baking tray, uncover the duck legs, baste them again, then place onto the oiled foil
- Slide the tray into the rungs two down from the flame and grill the legs skin side up until they become golden and crisp, don’t do this too quickly as the glaze will just burn. Set aside.
Peas, lettuce & potato:
- In a casserole pot, gently fry the shallots in 25g of butter until just soft with no colour
- Add the spice blend, salt, stir, add the wine, stock, the remaining butter and allow to bubble gently for 3 or 4 minutes
- Then add the peas and the sliced potatoes, pop the lid on then gently simmer for around 4 or 5 minutes
- Remove the lid, check the seasoning add the julienne of lettuce, place the charred lettuce on top of the peas and simmer for a final minute.
Assembly
Spoon the vegetables onto a warmed charger, pop a duck leg onto each of four plates, take to table and enjoy!
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