Best Duck Bolognese Recipes

DUCK BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Reconstitute the dried porcini mushrooms in a cup of hot water for 30 minutes. Drain mushrooms, squeeze dry, and chop coarsely; keep liquid for another use. (See note at end.) Chop coarsely the celery, carrots, onion, fennel and garlic. Put together with the mushrooms in a food processor to chop into a fine mixture. Saute in oil over med-high heat for 10-15 minutes, until it has browned a little. A large saute pan is best, to avoid crowding. Add duck, mix with vegetables, and cook until brown. After browned, add brandy and then red wine. Cook until wine is almost cooked off. Add 2 cans of chopped tomatoes with their juice. Drain juice from 3rd can, keeping the juice, and adding tomatoes to the pan. (This can all be moved to a heavy pot at this point). Add crushed juniper berries, thyme, sage, bay leaf and heavy cream. Add pepper to taste. Mix together the juice drained from the 1 can of tomatoes with the can of chicken stock, and keep nearby. Bring sauce to a simmer and let cook, partially covered, for several hours, watching the sauce so that it doesn't dry out. When the liquid is getting so low that the solids are barely sticking to the bottom of the pot, add the tomato juice/chicken stock mixture, little by little, so that it doesn't become too soupy. If that liquid runs out, add more chicken stock or just water. Once the sauce has cooked for an hour, it is good to go, but more cooking time will mean a deeper sauce. Makes enough sauce for 1.5 - 2 lbs dried pasta. (Note: I always forget to soak the dried porcinis early enough. So I usually start them soaking when I begin the rest of the dish, then when they are ready, I quickly saute them alone in a bit of oil, and once browned, add them to the pot, wherever it is in the cooking process. For an even deeper flavor, some of the porcini liquid can be added in, although add too much and it will dominate.)

DUCK BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Heat oil in large pot over medium high heat. Brown sausage and duck in oil, breaking up sausage with wooden spoon as it cooks. Remove meat and set aside.
• Add vegetables (onions through tomatoes) to the pot and cook until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
• Add white wine and put meat back in pot. Add chicken stock, tomato paste, milk, sage, and Parmesan cheese. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for several hours. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve over your favorite pasta.

PAPPARDELLE WITH DUCK BOLOGNESE AND TUSCAN KALE

Steps:

• Trim the excess flap of skin on each duck leg and remove visible fat. Season all over with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the duck, skin side down, and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the duck to a platter. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat.
• Add the pancetta to the pot and cook over medium heat until it renders some of its fat and begins to crisp. Add the onions, celery, carrot, and parsley and sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and wine. Bring to a simmer and reduce until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Return the duck to the pot, skin side up. Add the stock and the Parmesan rind (if using) and bring to a simmer. Cover and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer until the meat is tender and pulls readily from the bone, about 1 1/2 hours. Lift the duck legs out of the sauce and set them aside to cool.
• Tear each kale leaf into 3 or 4 pieces. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the kale and blanch for 30 seconds, then drain in a sieve and cool quickly under cold running water. Squeeze well to remove excess water. Finely chop.
• Pull the duck meat off the bones and dice it. Return it to the sauce and reheat gently. Stir in the kale and the milk. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Set aside 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Toss well, moistening if necessary with some of the reserved pasta water. Divide among warm bowls and serve immediately. Pass Parmesan cheese, if desired.
• Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Carneros Pinot Noir or another rich Pinot Noir.