Crunchy Roast Duck with Turnips
The meat content of a whole duck is low, which is why breasts (magrets) are so popular, while legs are an economical way to produce a delicious meal. Many different varieties of duck are cooked in France. The renowned breeds are Barbary, which are raised in the wild and have a gentle musky flavour, Nantes (or Challens, named after the marshland area where the duck lives), which has a delicately flavoured flesh, and Rouen, the most well-known, which has an exceptionally fine flesh and a special flavour because it is killed in such a way (smothering) that the blood remains in the muscles.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 6 duck legs
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 6 shallots peeled
- 12 baby turnips trimmed
- 1 large cooking apple peeled, cored and chopped
- 1 oz flour
- 1/2 pint cider
- 3 1/3 floz vegetable stock
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.
- Place the olive oil in a large, heavy-based roasting tin and heat in the oven for 5 minutes. Stab the duck legs all over with a fork, rub with seasoning, then place in the roasting tin and cook for 20 minutes.
- Turn the duck legs, and add the whole shallots and turnips to the roasting tin. Baste with the fat, reduce the heat to 180°C/gas 4 and roast for a further 20 minutes.
- Turn the duck legs again, and add the apple, moving the roasting vegetables to ensure they cook evenly. Roast for a further 20 minutes or until the duck is golden and crunchy and the vegetables soft and browned.
- Remove the duck and vegetables from the roasting tin and place them on a warm serving dish. Drain off excess fat (reserve it for roasting or sauteing potatoes) and add the flour to the tin, mixing it in vigorously to make a roux. Then slowly add the cider and vegetable stock, stirring well to mix in the roasting flavours in the pan.
- Place directly over a medium heat and bring to a simmer, constantly stirring. Check the seasoning, pour over the duck and the roasted vegetables, and serve.
Calories: 523 kcal
Carbohydrates: 28 g
Protein: 50 g
Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 5 g
Cholesterol: 197 mg
Sodium: 424 mg
Potassium: 616 mg
Fiber: 6 g
Sugar: 15 g
Vitamin A: 52 IU
Vitamin C: 57 mg
Calcium: 105 mg
Iron: 5 mg