As much as I enjoy eating healthy as much as possible, sometimes you just need a good splurge night. It’s even better when that splurge meal can take you back to one of your favorite travels. Which is why I’m so excited to share this delicious recipe for duck ragu, inspired by one of my favorite places – Melbourne!
I was lucky enough to make some amazing Australian friends while I was traveling in Europe a few years ago and then got to visit them over Christmas vacation. We had a great time in Sydney, but I think Melbourne was my favorite of the major Australian cities. It actually felt very similar to San Francisco with its artsy vibes, great food, and nearby wine country.
While in Melbourne, my friend and I took a day trip up to the Yarra Valley – Melbourne’s wine area known for its Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and sparkling wine. At one winery, we got to have lunch looking over the rolling hills of the valley, and I got an amazing duck ragu pasta. The combination of the delicious dish and beautiful views made it one of the most memorable meals I’ve had, and why I was so excited to create a version at home!
This duck ragu recipe is luxurious, but it’s not complicated. Most of the time spent is on the duck in the oven, and the rest goes very quickly at the end. Making duck confit can normally be a very long, complex process, so I use a simplified technique here that still delivers a lot of flavor with the duck cooking in its own fat but in just a few hours.
The shredded duck is then added to an easy pasta sauce of stock and red wine with your basic ragu vegetables of carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Stir in some butter, cheese and cooked pasta and you’re done! It’s rich but simple – letting the delicious duck be the star. It’s the perfect meal for any date night or dinner party!
Wine Pairings for Duck Ragu
- Syrah: This is actually the pairing I had at the winery in the Yarra Valley. The boldness of the wine can stand up next to the richness of the dish. Syrahs are also known for berry flavors which are a great pairing with duck.
- Bordeaux Blends: Recipes with fatty proteins like a duck confit actually make high tannin wines taste smoother. So a Bordeaux style wine, such as a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and/or Petit Verdot which can have higher tannins will go great with a rich dish like duck ragu.
Travel Tips for Melbourne
There is so much to see, do, eat and drink in this southeastern Australia coastal city, but here are just a few of my favorites:
- Chapel Street: Spanning several neighborhoods, Chapel Street has it all. It has great shopping, restaurants, bars and art galleries – a great option for getting a feel of everything Melbourne has to offer.
- Melbourne Laneways: Melbourne is known for its quirky laneways. Previously used for deliveries and trash, the city revitalized these alleyways with Parisian style cafés, bars, and restaurants. Many also have some amazing graffiti art. There are too many to list here, so here is a great list with some of the good ones!
- Yarra Valley: Great wine tasting with breathtaking views, just an hour outside of the city. Some of my favorite wineries were Soumah, De Bortoli and of course Domaine Chandon.
- The 12 Apostles and Great Ocean Road: The 12 Apostles are a set of giant limestone rocks rising out of the ocean that are truly breathtaking. (Fun Fact: because of erosion, there are now only seven and a half apostles). It’s a 4-5 hour drive to get there, but you get to journey on the Great Ocean Road – a stunning highway hugging the cliffs of the ocean.
Duck Ragu
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 people 1x
Description
Simple yet luxurious pasta with shredded duck confit.
Ingredients
- 2 whole duck legs
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or leftover duck fat
- ½ onion (minced)
- 2 medium carrots (minced)
- 2 celery stalks (minced)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1.5 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 pound dried or fresh tagliatelle or pappardelle pasta
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the duck confit: Season duck legs liberally with salt, pepper and the dried thyme. Place duck legs in a single layer on a plate or pan, covered with plastic wrap, in the fridge for 8 hours.
- Make the duck confit: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place duck legs fat side down in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat so that the fat starts to render. When there is about ¼ inch of rendered fat in the pan, about 15-20 minutes, flip duck legs over. Cover the pan and place in the oven. Cook for 1.5 hours. Remove cover and cook for another 30 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool and shred meat off the bones.
- Cook pasta: Heat a large pot filled with water to a boil. Season liberally with salt, add pasta and cook according to package instructions if using dried. If using fresh, cook for about 2 minutes. Drain pasta.
- Make the ragu: In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat the olive oil or leftover duck fat over medium high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery, seasoned lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in wine to the pan and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the stock and simmer until reduced to about ¾ cup of liquid. Add cooked pasta, shredded duck, butter, and parmesan to sauce and mix until sauce is thickened. Serve warm with extra parmesan on top!
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Entrées, Meat, Pasta
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