Duck With Oven-Roasted Vegetables

From Every Day Kitchen by Natalie Oldfield
Photography by Todd Eyre

(Serves 4–6)

Ingredients

• 6 duck legs
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
• 2 whole heads garlic
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 cups water
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• pinch of baking soda
• 2 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp flour
• 4 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tbsp sugar

Method

Preheat oven to 150°C.

Remove any excess fat from duck legs. Heat oil over medium heat in a large frying pan.

Brown duck legs skin-side down for 10–15 minutes or until skin is very golden. Turn over and cook for the same amount of time.

In a large roasting pan, place onion, carrot, parsnip, garlic and thyme. Place duck legs on top of vegetables.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients. Pour mixture over vegetables and duck and cover with baking paper. Place lid on top of roasting pan. Cook for 1 hour.

Remove baking paper and lid and cook for a further 30 minutes. Serve with your favourite greens.

Stephen Morris’s wine recommendations

Crowded House 2010 Pinot Noir. A blend / selection of Nelson, Marlborough & Central Otago fruit. Warm damson plums on the nose. Lots of bright fruit. Tight acid and warm black fruits on the palate. Great value pinot noir.

Black Estate Omihi 2010 Pinot Noir. From Waipara. Very black fruit (auto-suggestion from the name?) and cherried nose. Nice wood element with cloves, cinnamon, all spice and nutmeg all chiming in. A cleansing gentle finish that means another sip is never far away. Very smart.