DUCK LEG AND PINE NUT RISOTTO

4-6 people

Pairs Well With:
SIX RIDGES PINOT NOIR 2015

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 duck legs
  • 2 C pine nuts
  • ½ C onion, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 4 C chicken stock
  • ½ C shallot, minced
  • ½ C ground bacon
  • 2.5 Tbsp. champagne or white wine vinegar
  • 1 C honey
  • 4 yellow endive, sliced thinly
  • 2–3 Liters of duck fat, olive oil or a fat of your choosing
  • Scallions

DIRECTIONS

  1. Season the duck legs liberally with salt and sugar, equal parts. Cure for 24 hours in the fridge overnight.
  2. Preheat oven to 325 F. In a pan wide enough to hold the ducks in one layer and deep enough to cover in fat, submerge duck legs in duck fat, olive oil, or a fat of your choosing. Bring to 180 F. Cover and place in the oven for 90 minutes. Ducks should be falling-off-the bone tender. If not, return to the oven and check every 10 minutes until they are finished.
  3. Increase oven to 450 F. Remove ducks from fat and drain on the paper. Careful not to break them apart. When duck is cool, return to the hot oven until well colored. Approximately 8 minutes.
  4. Sweat shallot until cooked through. Add endives and cook until tender. Return the bacon to the pan. Add the vinegar and honey and stir until combined and syrupy. Season the endive marmalade with salt and set aside.
  5. Toast pine nuts in olive oil until aromatic and slightly caramelized. Add minced onion and cook until softened. Cover with chicken stock and cook until pine nuts are softened, approximately 35 minutes. Drain off excess stock and fold through endive marmalade.
  6. Spoon warm pine nut risotto in the center of a white bowl. Spoon 1 tablespoon of endive marmalade on top. Finish with duck leg and garnish with finely sliced scallions.