This Duck Ragù with Pasta is the ideal dish to make up to 24 hours ahead. Roast the duck the day before and chill. This Duck Ragù is a Mediterranean recipe that I cook with real pleasure in my Country home in South West of France !
First, here is the list of the different ingredients you will need to prepare the Duck Ragù with Pasta that serves 6 with an oven time of 2 hours plus 1 hour simmering.
- One whole Free Range Duck ( about 2 kg or 4,5 pounds)
- 200 ml or 1 cup ruby Port
- 200 ml or 1 cup red wine
- 150 g or 1/2 cup tomato puree
- 3 shallots, 1 carrot, 1 celery stick and 1 medium onion
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- small bunch fresh rosemary, small bunch thyme and handful sage leaves
- 3 dried juniper berries and some fresh marjoram leaves to serve
- 300 g fresh pasta of your choice
Now, here are the different steps you will have to follow to make the Duck Ragù with Pasta
To start, the day before, heat the oven to 180°C or 350°F. Put the duck in a large roasting tin, season all over and roast for 2 hours. Pour off the fat into a small bowl and leave to cool.
Meanwhile, pour the port and red wine into a pan, bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until reduced by 3/4 and with a syrupy consistency. Set aside.
The next day, Remove the duck meat from the carcass. it is easier if you slice the meat off the bones. Remove the skin. Set aside the carcass, bones and skin. Finely, thread the meat with your hands into small pieces. Put the duck skin on a baking tray lined with non stick baking paper. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes until golden. Leave to cool then crumble into pieces.
Meanwhile chop the shallots, carrot and celery and cut the onion into wedges. finely chop one of the garlic cloves. Put 2/3 of the reserved duck fat into a medium saucepan and add half the chopped shallots, carrot and celery, along with all the onion wedges. Add the 2 whole garlic cloves, the duck carcass and bones, and the rosemary, thyme, sage and juniper berries. Then, add the wine reduction, some cold water to cover and simmer over a medium heat, uncovered, until reduced by half. It will take about an hour.
Strain through a fine sieve into a smaller pan ( discard the solids), then keep warm in the pan over low heat. This is your stock.
Now, put the remaining duck fat in a saucepan over low to medium heat, then cook the remaining chopped vegetables and garlic with the duck meat and the tomato puree for 10 minutes. Slowly, stir in the stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Keep warm.
