Oven free dining this summer!

How to cook delicious duck recipes in the air fryer this summer

Summer is the time for lighter dishes, dining al fresco and enjoying a glass of something chilled and bubbly with a loved one. With the rise in energy costs and (fingers crossed!) warmer weather it is not the time to be spending hours in the kitchen over a hot oven or stove. Have a look at some of our lighter dishes that can be prepared much quicker, and more efficiently in the air fryer.

Duck legs with cubed, crispy duck fat potatoes and a green salad

You can use either fresh Gressingham Duck legs or Bistro Confit Duck legs for this recipe, please see both variations below.

If using Gressingham Bistro Confit legs –

1. Firstly, peel and cube potatoes and then parboil.

2. Preheat your air fryer to 200oC. Add parboiled potatoes to the base of the air fryer tray. Remove outer packaging from duck and place the duck legs on top of the potato layer in the air fryer. To ensure golden crisp duck skin, make sure the duck is skin-side up.
3. After cooking for 10 minutes, remove basket from air fryer and shake potatoes to enure all sides and crispy.
4. Finish off cooking in the air fryer for 10-15 minutes.
5. Carefully remove the legs from air fryer and serve with a fresh, green salad with balsamic dressing and crispy potatoes.

If using fresh, Gressingham duck legs

1. Preheat your air fryer to 160oC, pat the skin of the duck legs with a kitchen towel to remove excess moisture. Prick the skin and season with salt and black pepper, if desired.
2. Place the duck legs skin side up in your preheated air fryer for 30 minutes. While the legs are cooking, peel and cube potatoes and then parboil. After the duck legs have been cooking for 30 minutes in the air fryer, lift them out of the fryer and place on a plate. Put the par boiled potatoes into a bowl and pour the duck fat from the base of the air fryer over the potatoes. Season them with salt and mix. Place the potatoes in the bottom of the air fryer drawer and place the duck legs on top. Turn up the air fryer to 180oC and continue to cook for 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are golden and crispy.
3. When cooked, serve with a fresh, green salad with balsamic dressing and crispy potatoes.

Duck ragu

1. Preheat your air fryer to 160oC, pat the skin of the duck legs with a kitchen towel to remove excess moisture. Prick the skin and season with salt and black pepper, if desired.
2. Place the duck legs skin side up in your preheated air fryer for 60 minutes.
3. While the duck is cooking sweat ½ onion (chopped), 3 cloves of garlic (sliced), ¼ head of celery (chopped) over a low heat with some oil, when softened add 2 tbsp of tomato puree. Cook for 2 minutes, then add 1 tbsp dried oregano, 1 small bunch of thyme and 250ml red wine. Reduce by a half and add tin of chopped tomatoes and simmer for 20 mins.
4. When the duck has finished cooking add it in to the sauce and cook until the sauce is thickened to your liking.
5. While the sauce is reducing, cook fresh pasta in salted boiling water until al dente.
6. Toss the hot pasta with the ragu, place in a large serving bowl and top with grated parmesan, chopped parsley.

Crispy aromatic duck, with pancakes and cucumber and spring onions

1. Preheat your air fryer to 200°C on crisp/air fry setting. Remove all the packaging from the duck.
2. Place the duck in the air fryer, trying to keep as flat as possible with skin facing upwards. Cook for 25 minutes
3. To serve, shred the skin and meat and heat the pancakes in the microwave inside their bag for 30 seconds (750W/Cat D) or 20 seconds (850W/Cat E). Do not heat the sauce.
4. Spread some hoisin on each pancake, then add duck. Roll and enjoy! All ovens vary in performance, this is a guide only.