Name: Slow Cooked Duck Legs with Pickled Blackberries
Prep time: 28 min
Cook time: 110 min
Total time: 138 min
Yield: 4 people
Ingredients: 4 duck legs; 6 shallots (chopped); 4 garlic cloves (peeled and left whole); 8 juniper berries; 2 tsp flour; 850 ml good strong chicken stock; 1 bay leaf; 1 sprig of thyme; 1 star anis; 1 tsp tomato puree (heaped); Vegetable oil; 8 Tbls pickling liquor from the blackberries; 20 pickled blackberries; Sea salt and black pepper; 4 sprigs thyme (to garnish)

Slow cooked duck legs with pickled blackberries

This mouthwatering slow cooked duck recipe is a simple one, resulting in juicy tender meat with a crispy skin. A perfect balance between the sweet blackberries and the acidic pickling vinegar. I have served the duck legs with roasted carrots, hasselbacks potatoes and greens.

The bonus is that this dish tastes better the next day so it is ideal to prepare ahead, just re-heat the duck to crispen the skin at the last minute. A delicious stress free meal with friends or family.

Find the recipe for pickled blackberries here

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Slow Cooked Duck Legs with Pickled Blackberries

Prep Time28 mins

Cook Time1 hr 50 mins

Total Time2 hrs 18 mins

Course: Dinner

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

4 duck legs
6 shallots chopped
4 garlic cloves peeled and left whole
8 juniper berries
2 tsp flour
850 ml good strong chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
1 star anis
1 tsp tomato puree heaped
Vegetable oil
8 Tbls pickling liquor from the blackberries
20 pickled blackberries
Sea salt and black pepper
4 sprigs thyme to garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 150Cfan. To begin heat a little vegetable oil in a medium oven proof pan to a medium high heat. Add the shallots, thyme, bay leaf, star anis and garlic, sweat for 5-8 minutes. Now add the flour and tomato puree, let it cook on a medium low heat for several minutes.
Place the seasoned duck legs skin side down into a cold frying pan and set the heat to medium high to brown. Flip once browned and do the same on the reverse side. Place the legs on plate and set to one side. Wipe the frying pan with kitchen paper to remove the fat and then add the pickling liquor to deglaze, let it bubble and reduce by half then add half of the stock. Bring back to the boil, pour the stock little by little into the saucepan with the shallots, stirring between additions, letting the sauce come back to the boil and thicken. Place the duck legs into the sauce, add the remaining chicken and bring to the boil. cover and place in the oven for 90-110 minutes or until really tender. Remove from the oven.
Increase the oven temperature to 180C. Remove the skin and any sinew from the end of the leg bone and place the duck legs on a greased baking sheet, skin side down. Pop them in the oven for 15 minutes to crisp the skin while you finish the sauce. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve, pressing the shallots and garlic through to mash. Pour back into the pan and reduce by one third. Check the seasoning, add more salt if required.
Serve a little sauce in four shallow bowls, then add the duck legs and several pickled blackberries and a fresh thyme sprig . Serve with potatoes or a grain of your choice and roasted carrots.