Slow-roasted duck with red cabbage & dauphinoise potatoes
Ingredients
Serves 4
For the duck:
- 1.8kg duck
- 2 rosemary stalks, left whole
- small handful sprigs of thyme, left whole
- 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
- 1 pinch salt
- Good grind of black pepper
For the red cabbage: this makes double leaving enough in the freezer for another meal
- 1 medium red cabbage, chopped in quarters, core removed and thinly sliced
- 200ml water mixed with 1 tablespoon Ribena or orange squash
- 200ml red cooking wine
- 2 tablespoons risotto rice
- 1 teaspoon redcurrant jelly or any kind of berry jam
- 2 teaspoons of sugar
- 1 teaspoon vegetable bouillon
- 4 cloves
- 3cm cinnamon stick
- 1/2 grated apple, skin on
- salt and pepper
For the dauphinoise:
- 6 Maris piper potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced either using a knife, mandolin or food processor with the slicing blade
- 200ml milk
- 100ml cream
- 1 teaspoon vegetable bouillon
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
- 2 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper
- Butter for greasing
- Balsamic glaze (optional. Available in most supermarkets. Look for the glaze, not the vinegar)
You will need a roasting tin with a rack for the duck, a large saucepan with a lid for the red cabbage and ovenproof ramekins for the dauphinoise.
Timings
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 3 hours
Total time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Slow-roasted duck with red cabbage & dauphinoise potatoes
There was a wonderful tradition at the beginning of the winter season in St Anton. Before any guests would arrive in resort, all the locals would head off to the Ganderwirt (translated as The Duck Inn). There was no menu. You were simply brought half a duck, a bowl of red cabbage and potatoes. It was sublime! So for me, this signifies the start of December, with snow crunching under our feet, twinkling lights in the distance and frozen mountain air. It makes me so happy to bring it home and share it with you. My children love the soft-pulled duck meat and the salty crispy skin… make sure there is lots to go around!
Method
Preheat the oven to 220/45/gas 7.
First prepare the red cabbage. Place all of the red cabbage ingredients into a large saucepan. Bring to the boil. Once it has boiled, place a lid on it and turn it down to a very gentle simmer. Cook over a low heat for 3 hours, stirring occasionally to stop it from catching.
Next remove the giblets and neck from the bird (if you have them) and place to one side. These, along with the bird carcass, make delicious stock. Put the duck on a rack in a roasting tray and drizzle with rapeseed oil. Sprinkle over salt and pepper and, using your hands, massage in to the bird.
Place in the oven and cook at 220/425/gas 7 for 30 minutes to let the skin crisp up.
After the duck has been in for 30 minutes, turn down the oven to 160/315/gas 2-3, and cook for a further 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Meanwhile make the dauphinoise. Place the potato slices in a large saucepan with the milk, cream, crushed garlic, chopped rosemary, vegetable bouillon, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, stirring from time to time to stop the bottom from catching. The starch will release whilst boiling which will thicken the sauce. As soon as it has boiled, remove the saucepan from the hob.
Grease the ramekins with butter and place them in a roasting tray. Fill the ramekins with the creamy potato mix. Place in the oven with the duck at 160/315/gas 2-3 for 1 hour.
To serve, shred the duck with the beautiful crispy skin and place it on a plate in the middle of the table. Serve a ramekin of dauphinoise each and a large bowl of red cabbage for people to help themselves.
Serve with broccoli, beans and peas for extra vegetables. I like to have a bottle of balsamic glaze to hand for a sauce, however Jason (the purist) finds the creamy potatoes and juicy red cabbage work a treat. Up to you!
DOWNLOAD OR PRINT RECIPE HERE.
This is a superb alternative to a traditional turkey for Christmas. In fact, in Austria we served it to our guests as whole turkeys aren’t a thing over there. There’s less to think about and more time for you to put your feet up and relax which is always a bonus!Ā You can make the red cabbage and dauphinoise up to 3 days in advance. Reheat the red cabbage by warming through on the stove. Reheated the dauphinoise in the oven. Top the ramekins up with extra cream and cover in foil. Heat through at 180 for 15-20 minutes until piping.”
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