Roast Gressingham duck leg, hispi cabbage, white bean purée and salsa verde

These roasted duck legs are a delicious, dine-in treat.

Servings
Serves: 2
Prep
25 mins
Cook
90 mins

Ingredients

  • 2 Gressingham duck legs
  • 1 tin cooked cannellini beans, drained
  • 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
  • 1 small sprig fresh rosemary, leaves picked
  • 100g unsalted butter
  • 1 hispi cabbage, cut in half, core removed
  • 1 lemon, cut in half
  • 100ml vegetable oil

Salsa Verde

  • 1 small bunch flat leaf parsley, leaves picked, roughly chopped
  • 1 small bunch basil, leaves picked , roughly chopped
  • 2 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled finely chopped
  • 100ml red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp small capers, drained, roughly chopped
  • 100ml olive oil

Method

  1. Pre heat oven to 180c or 160c fan, gas mark 4
  2. Pat the duck legs dry and season with salt and pepper. Place the duck legs on a baking tray and, skin side up and roast for approx 1 hour and 15 minutes.
  3. While the duck is roasting combine all the salsa verde ingredients and set aside.
  4. Place a pan on medium heat with the half the vegetable oil and sweat off the onion, garlic and rosemary until the onion has softened. Try not to colour. Add in the beans and cook for a further 2 to 3 mins. Add a touch of water if drying out. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and a squeeze of lemon. Carefully transfer the mix into a blender and blitz until smooth. Season to taste and add water if too thick.
  5. Transfer back to the original pan.
  6. Place another pan on a medium heat with the remaining vegetable oil and lay all the cabbage in, cut side down. Season with salt and pepper . When it starts to char to a dark ( but not burnt ) colour, turn on to the other cut side until this also colours. Squeeze the juice of the remaining half lemon over the cabbage. Transfer to a baking tray and place in the oven for the last 10 to 15 minutes of the duck cooking time.
  7. When you are ready to serve, gently re heat the bean purée and divide onto 2 plates. Place the hispi cabbage and roasted duck leg on top with the salsa verde served in a separate ramekin. Any juices from the cabbage tray can be poured over the duck.

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Our Story

The Gressingham duck is a unique breed that first came about when the small but flavourful wild Mallard was crossed with the larger Pekin duck giving a meaty, succulent duck with more breast meat, less fat and a rich gamey flavour.