Duck Legs Braised in Red Wine

The slow cooker is a great way to cook duck; the meat becomes meltingly tender, and all the fat comes out from beneath the skin, which is browned before serving.

Makes 4 to 6 servings | Prep time: 15 minutes | Minimum cook time: 7 hours in a medium slow cooker

4 to 6 duck leg quarters

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 carrot, chopped

1¹/₂ cups dry red wine

1 cup Chicken Stock or purchased stock

¹/₃ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon dried thyme or ¹/₂ teaspoon dried

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Rinse duck and pat dry with paper towels. Using a metal skewer, prick the skin of each leg horizontally to the skin so that the skin but not the meat is pierced. Arrange duck legs in the slow cooker.

2. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and carrot, and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add wine to the skillet, raise the heat to high, and boil wine until reduced by one-third. Pour mixture into the slow cooker.

3. Add stock, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf to the slow cooker, and stir well. Cook on Low for 7 to 9 hours, or until duck is incredibly tender. Remove and discard bay leaf.

4. Preheat the oven broiler, and line a broiler pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Remove duck from the slow cooker with a slotted spatula, and set aside. Pour braising liquid into a saucepan, and allow to sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. Spoon fat off of surface of sauce with a soup ladle.

5. Bring sauce to a boil over high heat, and reduce by half. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, and mix into sauce. Cook for 2 minutes, or until juices are bubbly and slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. To serve, broil duck legs for 2 to 3 minutes, or until skin is crisp. Serve hot, passing sauce separately.

Note: The dish can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat it, covered, in a 350°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until hot. Do not broil the duck legs until just prior to serving.

Variations:

 Add ¹/₂ cup pitted olives to the slow cooker.

 Add 1 pound baby carrots or ¹/₂ pound baby carrots and ¹/₂ pound parsnips, cut into 2-inch pieces to the slow cooker.

To reduce is to make something smaller, and when the word is used in cooking, it means to cut down on the volume of liquid by applying heat, which speeds evaporation. Simmering a gravy or sauce evaporates some of the water, which concentrates the flavor of the resulting liquid. Many recipes call for liquid to be reduced by half, but it can be a greater or smaller amount.