Recipe by Richard Ousby, Executive Chef, Tama Dining, Brisbane
Duck Confit
4 duck Maryland portions
1 sprig of thyme
1/2 an orange, zest removed in strips
3 cloves of garlic, lightly crushed
3 star anise
1 cinnamon quill
Salt – 2% of the total ingredients weight in salt
500ml duck fat, enough to cover legs (can be reused)
Place a container on scales. Add duck legs and all marinade ingredients, except salt and duck fat then weigh. Add 2% of the total of the ingredients weight in salt. Rub all ingredients together, cover and rest in the fridge for 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 150C. Place duck in an oven safe dish. Heat duck fat in a saucepan until hot. Pour fat over the duck, enough to totally cover the legs, then place dish in oven. Slow cook for 2.5 to 3 hours or until tender. Allow duck to cool. In a clean container, store duck covered in the cooking fat to seal and preserve. Refrigerate.
Pedro Prunes
100g dried prunes
200ml Pedro Ximenez sherry
1/2 an orange, zest removed in strips
50g sugar
300ml chicken bone broth, no added salt
Bring Pedro Ximenez and orange strips to the boil. Add prunes, bring back to the boil then remove from the heat. Allow the prunes to steep for at least a couple of hours or overnight. Remove the prunes from the Pedro Ximenez. Place Pedro Ximenez in a pot with the chicken stock and sugar. Reduce by ¾ then add the prunes. Heat the prunes until hot then serve.
Mash Potato
1kg pink-skinned, waxy potatoes eg desiree, washed, skin on
300ml thickened cream
100g unsalted butter
Salt
White pepper, freshly ground
Steam or boil the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and set aside until just cool enough to handle. Do not allow the potatoes to cool too much as they will be too hard to pass through the mouli.
Peel the skins from the potatoes – if the potatoes are too wet, place on a tray in a low oven to dry out – then pass through a mouli, or mash with a handheld masher.
Place the cream and butter mix in a saucepan, bring to the boil then reduce to a low heat. Using a wooden spoon, gradually stir the cream mix into the potatoes. Add a little at a time and work it in. This will avoid a lumpy mash and achieve a light, smooth consistency. Season with salt and ground white pepper.
To complete the dish
Preheat oven to 190C.
Remove the duck legs from the fat, place the fat in a new container and freeze for future use in new confit duck, duck fat potatoes etc.
Heat a large fry pan until hot, add duck legs, skin side down for 3min then place into the hot oven for 8min.
To serve
Remove duck pan from oven and carefully, with a spatula, flip the duck legs. Leave to rest in the hot pan until ready to serve.
Place the hot mash potato on the plate, place the duck leg on top of the potatoes. Cover with prunes and drizzle with sauce. Serve.