Game Cookeryduck

Whether farmed or wild, duck legs make for a rich and flavoursome pot roast with potatoes, apples and peppery greens, says Rose Prince

Ihave three treasured cooking pots, none of which cost a single penny because I found them at our local recycling centre, the place we affectionately know as ‘the dump’. One is a Le Creuset grill pan, approximate value when new, £99. The other is a gratin pan, for dauphinois potatoes, macaroni cheese and so on, of similar value. The third is a small cast-iron casserole with a lid, which has become a favourite pot because it is small enough to cook pot roasts and stews for two.

Why this preamble? Because it amazes me that anyone would dispose of something as valuable as a cast-iron cooking vessel. They are the true heirloom kitchen pan and they last for ever. The thickness of the metal and the even heat distribution sets them apart from other pans, because these two characteristics serve to protect whatever is inside.

Ingredients

2 DUCK LEGS FINE SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER 4 MEDIUM-SIZED

MARIS PIPER (OR

SIMILAR) POTATOES, PEELED AND HALVED

TWO SMALL EATING APPLES

They are ideal for pot-roasting poultry. Even with the lid on, the surface will gradually brown and caramelise, but the meat itself will be tenderly steamed.

I have a confession to make. This dish was cooked with the legs of a farmed duck. The plan was to use wild mallard legs, but moving house got in the way of meeting up with a duck-shooting friend. I am a fan of good farmed duck, but the wild stuff certainly gives a stronger flavour.

Teal and wigeon would be a bit small, but the legs of a wild mallard would work very well for this dish. As there is not much fat on wild duck, the mallard legs would need basting with a bit of duck fat, while the potatoes would need to be parboiled to speed up the cooking process. Not doing so would result in overcooked mallard, which is a great waste.

This recipe is one I have been making frequently for more than 20 years. Wild or farmed, as the duck legs slowly roast in the casserole, the fat is absorbed by the

“I am a fan of good farmed duck, but the wild stuff certainly gives a stronger flavour”

potatoes, which gradually become crisp around the edges. It is a rich little roast, so serve it with some peppery greens, such as a watercress or rocket salad, or perhaps steamed Chinese greens, such as choi sum.

If you do not have a cast-iron casserole, the next best thing would be stoneware or another heatproof pot with a lid. If not using cast iron, the recipe will need a longer cooking time in a lower oven, say 160°C.