Roast duck and creamy kale

Richard brings us another great recipe that is quick and easy to make

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 large duck
1 onion and 2 carrots (for roasting)
1 apple (cut in half)
½ glass red wine
½ glass port
½ onion, cut into quarters
1 carrot, cut into 5-cm chunks
2 sticks celery, cut as above
1 bayleaf
1 sprig of thyme
1 pint of water
Good handful of picked curley kale (enough for 4)
75ml double cream
½ carrot, cut into batons
1 tbsp of duck fat
50ml white wine
2 sticks celery, peeled and cut into batons
75g good quality smoked pancetta cut into lardons (small batons)
½ bunch watercress
8 baby potatoes, cut 1-cm thick
Pinch freshly chopped thyme

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6.

For the stock:

1. Remove the winglet bones and other trimmings from the duck (neck gizzards) place a drizzle of oil into a pan, then add the duck trimmings, vegetable and herbs, cook until golden brown, moving all the time, then cover with water (approximately 1 pint), bring to the boil, skim off any impurities and fat, then turn down the heat and cook for 1 ½ hours.

For the duck:

1. In a roasting tray, add a few drops of vegetable oil, cut the apple in half and place into the centre of the bird, add the halved onion and carrot to the roasting pan, then add the duck and colour on all sides. Place on top on the vegetables using them as a trivet, then place into the oven.

2. After 20 minutes, remove and baste the duck with its own fat, then turn down the oven (it should be nice a golden at this stage) place back into the oven and cook for a further 1 ½ hours.

For the kale and to finish:

1. Meanwhile, add a tablespoon of duck fat to a pan and heat, add the carrot and celery batons and colour slightly, add the curly kale which has been blanched (plunged into boiling water for 2 minutes and drained) then the white wine and cook for 10 minutes, then add the cream and cook for a further few minutes, season.
 
2. Remove the duck from the pan and allow to rest, tip away and excess fat from the pan (reserve) and place onto a high heat. Add the wine and port and scrape the bottom of the pan to lift all the duck sediment. Scoop out the centre of the apple that has been cooked inside the duck and add to the pan. Add the strained duck stock and boil until a sauce consistency is achieved and strain if necessary.
 
3. Heat the reserved fat from the cooking of the duck, add the sliced potatoes, season and cook until golden brown, crisp and tender, approximately 10 minutes of cooking, once cooked add the chopped thyme leaves.

To serve:

Carve the duck and serve on the creamed bacon kale, and pour over the roasting juices. Serve with sautéed potatoes and a few sprigs of watercress.