Braised Duck Legs and Sautéed Duck Breast
A elegant dual-preparation of duck featuring tender braised legs and wings alongside perfectly seared medium-rare duck breast, served with parsnips in a flavorful lemon-ginger sauce and finished with a fresh parsley-garlic garnish.
Ingredients
- •1 whole Long Island (Pekin) duck
- •1 whole leek
- •2 large sweet onions
- •1 medium carrot
- •1 quart water
- •2 pounds parsnips
- •1⅓ tablespoon grapeseed or vegetable oil
- •1 inch peeled ginger
- •1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- •3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- •¼ cup chopped parsley
- •3 cloves garlic
- •finely chopped
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Cut off legs, wings, and breasts from duck and cut up carcass and wing tips for stock. Remove any bones from breasts, leaving skin on. Chill legs, wings, and breasts in a sealable bag.
15 min
- 2.
Wash leek , then put in a 6- to 8-quarts pot with carcass, 1 onion (cut in half), carrot, water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, skimming foam. Reduce heat and gently simmer, uncovered, skimming occasionally, 1 hour. Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, discarding solids. Skim off and discard fat.
60 min
- 3.
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
5 min
- 4.
Coarsely chop remaining onion. Peel parsnips and cut into 3-inch batons (1/4 inch thick). Pat legs and wings dry and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
15 min
- 5.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wide 6- to 7-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown legs and wings, turning over once, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
8 min
- 6.
Add onion to pot with parsnips, ginger, zest, juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and pale golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 2 cups duck stock (save remainder for another use) and nestle legs and wings in vegetables. Bring to a boil. Cover pot and braise in oven until meat is tender, about 1 hour. Let stand, uncovered, at room temperature 1 hour while cooking breasts.
120 min
- 7.
Season duck breasts with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper (total).
2 min
- 8.
Heat remaining teaspoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook duck breasts, skin sides down, until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn and cook about 6 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.
24 min
- 9.
Mix together parsley and garlic. Slice breasts crosswise. Serve legs and wings over parsnips and serve sliced breast on the side. Sprinkle with parsley mixture.
10 min
