Asdas in town is knocking out two decent sized duck legs in a plastic box for £2.10. Normally I’m fussy about meat in plastic boxes, but this semi-bargainous treat appeals to me on some level. Its in the basket and through the checkout before I have chance to think it through.
Anyhow, it seems appropriate as a Friday supper, and as the oven warms up I scan the fridge for something to put alongside them. Mash seems like the obvious choice, with the remains of the wholegrain mustard thrown in, and I decide to get a bit cheeky with a lo-fi orange and ginger sauce made from orange juice out of the carton.
The meal satisfies, but the oven is being a temperamental shite. For some reason its only cooking at furnace–like temperatures, so all of the fat that I’m collecting as it runs off the duck is burning, producing acrid smoke that fills the kitchen and makes my eyes water. The skin crisps up nicely but the meat remains partly cooked on the inside and requires all manner of fussing and re-timing. I’m beginning to suspect that the oven is haunted by the ghost of a miserable old bastard.
The recipe is as follows:
Two duck legs (one each will just about do, or two if you’re hungry like me)
Spuds
Orange juice
Ginger
Sugar
Salt and pepper
Butter
Milk
Colman’s Wholegrain Mustard
An obedient oven.
Rinse out the duck legs and pat them dry with kitchen paper. I like to rub them with some salt before they go in the oven on about 190 degrees (or about 600 degrees in my oven). I like to cook them directly on the oven rack, placing a terracotta dish or similar vessel on the rack underneath to collect the fat as it runs out (don’t put this on the bottom of oven as you will have all sorts of problems with burning). The fat is good for roast potatoes in the same way as goose fat, or if you’re feeling decadent one Sunday morning, you can use it to fry eggs.
Those with well-behaved ovens can leave the legs for about 40 minutes, or until the juices run clear, as they say. Its worth keeping an eye on the collected fat, perhaps emptying it into a jar once or twice to stop it smoking.
Mash is as per usual, but I recommend the addition of wholegrain mustard to this one for a little bit of heat.
To make the lo-fi orange sauce, peel a piece of ginger – about half as big as your thumb, and press it through a garlic crush. Pour a large glass of orange juice into a small frying pan, add the ginger and a couple of large pinches of sugar. Over a low heat allow the mixture to gently reduce, stirring occasionally until you are left with fragrant syrup of a gravy-like consistency.
Lay the duck legs on top of the mash and pour over the orange sauce. You could pop a few steamed green beans, or peas on the side if you feel like it.
Anyhow, it seems appropriate as a Friday supper, and as the oven warms up I scan the fridge for something to put alongside them. Mash seems like the obvious choice, with the remains of the wholegrain mustard thrown in, and I decide to get a bit cheeky with a lo-fi orange and ginger sauce made from orange juice out of the carton.
The meal satisfies, but the oven is being a temperamental shite. For some reason its only cooking at furnace–like temperatures, so all of the fat that I’m collecting as it runs off the duck is burning, producing acrid smoke that fills the kitchen and makes my eyes water. The skin crisps up nicely but the meat remains partly cooked on the inside and requires all manner of fussing and re-timing. I’m beginning to suspect that the oven is haunted by the ghost of a miserable old bastard.
The recipe is as follows:
Two duck legs (one each will just about do, or two if you’re hungry like me)
Spuds
Orange juice
Ginger
Sugar
Salt and pepper
Butter
Milk
Colman’s Wholegrain Mustard
An obedient oven.
Rinse out the duck legs and pat them dry with kitchen paper. I like to rub them with some salt before they go in the oven on about 190 degrees (or about 600 degrees in my oven). I like to cook them directly on the oven rack, placing a terracotta dish or similar vessel on the rack underneath to collect the fat as it runs out (don’t put this on the bottom of oven as you will have all sorts of problems with burning). The fat is good for roast potatoes in the same way as goose fat, or if you’re feeling decadent one Sunday morning, you can use it to fry eggs.
Those with well-behaved ovens can leave the legs for about 40 minutes, or until the juices run clear, as they say. Its worth keeping an eye on the collected fat, perhaps emptying it into a jar once or twice to stop it smoking.
Mash is as per usual, but I recommend the addition of wholegrain mustard to this one for a little bit of heat.
To make the lo-fi orange sauce, peel a piece of ginger – about half as big as your thumb, and press it through a garlic crush. Pour a large glass of orange juice into a small frying pan, add the ginger and a couple of large pinches of sugar. Over a low heat allow the mixture to gently reduce, stirring occasionally until you are left with fragrant syrup of a gravy-like consistency.
Lay the duck legs on top of the mash and pour over the orange sauce. You could pop a few steamed green beans, or peas on the side if you feel like it.
1 comment:
Cheers Mr J.!
I was a bit sceptical about the orange sauce - it took ages to simmer down - but in the end it was all good.
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