Duck Risotto Recipes

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp butter in a wide saucepan, then add the onion, carrots and celery. Cover, then gently cook for 10 mins until soft. Tip in two-thirds of the garlic, fry for 1 min, turn up the heat, then add the thyme and rice. Stir for a few mins, then add the wine and let it reduce to almost nothing.
• Stir in the stock over a medium heat, ladle by ladle, waiting for each addition to absorb before adding the next. Keep the heat on medium - too hot and the stock will evaporate rather than be absorbed by the rice. When the rice is creamy and justcooked, take off the heat, add the duck, then cover for 5 mins to heat through.
• Melt the remaining butter in another wide pan, add the mushrooms, then fry them on a high heat for about 3 mins until golden. Add the remaining garlic, fry for 1 min more, then season. Stir the mushrooms into the risotto, then scatter with parsley and serve.

Steps:

• Place chicken broth and wine in a medium-size saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and keep at a simmer. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large, wide pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add rice and stir for 1 minute.
• Ladle in 1/2 cup of the chicken broth mixture and stir constantly with a wooden fork until most of the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time and stirring until the rice is tender, about 50 minutes. Stir in the escarole and cook for 2 minutes longer. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the duck breast and cook until medium rare, about 3 minutes per side. Cut on the diagonal into thin slices and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the risotto among 4 shallow bowls and fan the duck slices over the top. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Mix first 5 ingredients and duck legs and thighs in bowl. Cover leg-thigh mixture and breasts and carcasses separately; chill overnight.
• Preheat oven to 200°F. Heat duck fat in medium ovenproof pot over medium heat to 200°F. Add duck leg-thigh mixture; transfer to oven and cook until meat falls from bones, about 2 hours. Allow duck confit to cool 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Place duck carcasses in large ovenproof pot; roast uncovered until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Transfer pot to stove top. Add leek and next 3 ingredients and sauté over medium-high heat until vegetables are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add Port; boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add 6 cups water; boil gently for 30 minutes. Add peppercorns; boil broth 10 minutes. Strain broth; skim fat from surface. Boil broth in medium saucepan until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 30 minutes. Whisk butter into sauce. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill confit and sauce separately.)
• Rewarm duck confit to melt fat; remove duck from fat. Cut meat from bones and add to sauce.
• For farro risotto:
• Soak farro in cold water 20 minutes. Drain; rinse. Bring 8 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add 1/2 cup oil and farro. Simmer 20 minutes. Drain in strainer and rinse. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté 1 minute. Add farro and wine. Simmer until almost all liquid evaporates, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth 1 cup at a time and simmer until liquid is absorbed and farro is just tender, stirring frequently, about 14 minutes total. Stir in cheese and 1 tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, prepare duck breasts:
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Sprinkle duck breasts with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add duck breasts, skin side down; cook until skin is crisp, about 5 minutes. Turn duck over. Cook 1 minute; remove from heat.
• Bring honey to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add nuts and star anise; boil until honey is reduced to thick syrup, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Spoon honey-nut mixture onto duck breasts. Cook in oven about 4 minutes for medium-rare.
• Rewarm duck confit sauce over low heat. Divide risotto among 4 plates. Using slotted spoon, remove duck meat from sauce and spoon over risotto. Slice breasts diagonally; arrange around risotto. Drizzle duck with confit sauce.
• *Farro is sold at some Italian markets and natural foods stores.
• **A brown star-shaped seed pod available at Asian markets and specialty foods stores and in the spice section of some supermarkets.