MKR episode 1 recipe: Crispy Duck Leg with Blackberry & Port Jus and Potato Gratin

Crispy Duck Leg with Blackberry & Port Jus and Potato Gratin

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 2 hours

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Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 4 duck legs
• 1 tbs finely chopped thyme
• Micro herbs, to garnish

Potato Gratin

25g butter3 garlic cloves, crushed1 tbs lemon thyme leaves125ml thickened ream3 medium sebago potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced4 tbs grated tasty cheese4 tbs grated parmesan

Braised Cabbage2 tsp olive oil2 shallots, thinly sliced1 tbs butter1 garlic clove, crushed¼ red cabbage, thinly sliced2 tbs red wine vinegar75g blackberries, chopped

Cauliflower Puree½ cauliflower, cut into small florets500ml thickened cream2 tsp butter

Blackberry & Port Jus2 tsp olive oil2 shallots, sliced1 garlic clove, sliced75g blackberries250ml chicken stock250ml port2 tbs butter

Method

Preheat oven to 170C.

Pat duck skin dry of any moisture and rub all over with salt, pepper and chopped thyme. Place in a roasting dish.

Roast for about 1 ½ hours or until meat is tender and skin is crisp, basting with the rendered fat every 20 minutes for the last hour.

Meanwhile, to prepare potato gratin, lightly grease four holes of a 1/3-cup (80ml) capacity silicone muffin/dessert pan.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add garlic and thyme and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in cream. Remove from heat and add potatoes, tossing to coat.

Arrange potato mixture in prepared pan holes (trimming slices to fit where necessary), sprinkling a little tasty cheese between the layers. Cover pan with foil.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until potato is tender. Sprinkle with parmesan and bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, to braise cabbage, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook shallots for about 5 minutes or until translucent. Stir in butter and garlic. Stir in cabbage.

Cook, covered, stirring often, for about 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook, covered, for about 5 minutes or until soft. Season.

To make cauliflower puree, place cauliflower and cream in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Cook, covered, stirring often, for about 15 minutes or until cauliflower is soft.

Strain and set cream aside. Return cauliflower to same saucepan with butter. Using a stick blender, blend mixture, adding enough of the reserved cream to form a soft silky puree. Season. Pass through a fine sieve.

To make the blackberry and port jus, heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook shallots for about 10 minutes or until translucent. Stir in garlic.

Add blackberries and crush with a potato masher or fork. Add stock and port and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer on lowest heat, until reduced to form a rich jus. Strain through a fine sieve, pushing down on solids. Discard solids. Season.

Serve duck, potato gratin and cauliflower puree with blackberry and port jus. Garnish with micro herbs.

Tips

We used a mandolin to slice our potatoes for a thin, consistent result.

Choose potatoes that are long and thin if possible, so when sliced vertically, the slices will fit easily into the muffin pan.

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