Duck Bourguignonne , Chestnuts, Foraged Mushrooms & Cipollini Onions
Pair with our Geyserville or Lytton East Hills
This recipe may seem a bit daunting, but it is actually quite simple, and worth the effort. A fun, and tasty twist on the French classic.
Print Recipe
Yield: 8 Servings
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 2 cups port wine
- 2 bottles red wine
- 2 heads garlic, halved crosswise, excess papery skin removed
- 8 duck legs, trimmed of excess fat
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 cups Brown chicken stock
- 3 dried bay leaves
- Peel of half an orange, pith removed
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups roasted chestnuts, removed from shell
- 4 cups assorted wild or exotic mushrooms
- 12 cipollini onions, stems removed, blanched and peeled
- 1 cup butter
Instructions:
Day 1:
- Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, carrots, and onion; cook, stirring, until softened and browned, about 8 minutes.
- Add port, red wine, and garlic; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes; remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Place duck legs in an 8-quart container. Pour cooled wine mixture over duck legs to completely cover. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 days.
Day 2:
- Remove duck legs from marinade; pat dry and set aside. Strain marinade through a mesh strainer into a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, discarding solids.
- Bring liquid to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and let simmer until liquid has reduced by two-thirds, about 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch-oven or heavy duty pot, over medium-high heat. Working in batches, season duck legs with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, coating on all sides and shaking off any excess. Add duck legs to hot oil and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer duck legs to a plate and repeat process with remaining duck legs.
- After duck legs are finished, wipe out pan, and add 1/4 cup of butter, let brown and add the chestnuts, sauteé in pan over medium heat until well browned. Season with kosher salt & pepper, and remove from pan into a bowl or other holding vessel. Repeat this step with the mushrooms and cipollini onions respectively.
- Return all duck legs to pan. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup butter into reduced wine mixture until well blended and add to pan, along with chicken stock, bay leaves, orange peel, and thyme. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, and immediately transfer to oven. Cook until duck legs are tender and pulling away from the bone, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
- Remove from oven and transfer duck to a platter; set aside. Strain liquid through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium saucepan; discard solids.
- Place saucepan over high heat and add cipollini onions and chestnuts. Cook until liquid reduces enough to coat the back of a spoon, skimming off any foam or oil that floats to the surface, about 1 hour. You should have about 5 cups of liquid. Add mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper.
- Return duck legs to pan and add mixture over duck. Place Pan over medium-high heat and cook until duck legs are heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Cover to keep warm.
- Arrange duck legs on serving platter, and spoon over about 1/4 cup of sauce over each duck leg.
Now, open a bottle of Ridge, and enjoy.
Print Recipe