Roasted Duck Legs with Figs and Choucroute
By Gressingham customer Amie Elizabeth White
This interesting dish is best enjoyed in the peak season for figs, so in the UK that means late summer or early autumn. We enjoy it with a dressed rocket leaf salad alongside the choucroute.
Ingredients
- 2 Gressingham duck legs
For the choucroute
- Good knob of butter
- 250g sauerkraut, drained
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 200ml white wine
- 100ml chicken stock
For the figs and shallots
- Olive oil
- 2 medium shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 fresh figs, stalk removed and quartered
- 100ml chicken stock
- Hazelnut oil
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180°c or 160°c fan oven. Dry the duck legs with paper towels before pricking the skin all over with a fork and seasoning with salt and pepper. Place them in a shallow roasting tin on the middle shelf of the preheated oven. Set a timer for 1 hour 30 minutes and baste the legs regularly while they roast.
For the choucroute
- Add a good knob of butter to a large saucepan and place on a high heat. Once melted and bubbling, add the drained sauerkraut, bay leaves, thyme, black pepper and white wine. Stir fry for a few minutes before adding the white wine. Allow to reduce by half, then add the stock. Bring back to a simmer and then cover with a lid. Leave on a very low heat, stirring occasionally.
For the figs and shallots
- Sauté the shallots in a hot frying pan with a little oil over a medium to high heat. As they start to caramelise, fold in the figs then remove the pan from the heat.
- Around 20 minutes before the duck roasting time is up, bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Next, drain off most of the fat from the roasting tin and pour in the hot stock along with the shallots and figs around the duck legs. Stir everything together gently. Return the tin to the oven and continue roasting with the heat increased to 200°c or 180°c fan for another 15 minutes.
- Serve the duck legs on a bed of choucroute with the figs and shallots scattered around along with a spoonful or two of the pan juices. To finish, drizzle with a little hazelnut oil.