Recipe #296: Crispy Braised Duck Legs

After five days in Paris, eating their delicious food, I couldn't come home and make something mediocre!  Here is a great recipe for super tender, flavorful duck legs.  I made a special trip to West Side Market to get these delicious things.  You could sub out chicken legs for this if you can't find duck- just adjust cooking times as needed.

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 duck legs
• 1 14.5 ounce can of organic diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped into 1/2” dice
• 2 carrots, sliced in 1/2” rounds
• 1 celery stalk ,cut into 1/2” pieces
• 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 large sprigs of thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2/3 cup dry vermouth or white wine
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Trim excess fat from the legs, being careful to not pierce the skin.  Salt and pepper both sides.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large dutch oven/French pot, brown duck legs in a single layer, skin side down 7 minutes, then flip and brown another 2-3 minutes until all legs are done.  Set aside.  I browned it in butter and reserved duck fat from a previous meal.

Pour out most of the grease, then add oil and butter if desired.  Salt and pepper and then brown the garlic, carrots, celery, garlic, and thyme for 6 minutes.  Add wine and reduce by half.  Add broth and reduce by half.  Add the tomatoes and heat through.  Layer the duck, skin side up on top of the mixture and nestle in the bay leaves.  Cover and put in the oven for 2 hours.