Salt Duck with Spinach, Potatoes and Bacon

Name: Salt Duck with Spinach, Potatoes and Bacon
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: mediterranean
Ingredients: 6 duck legs; 2 tbsp sea salt; 2 tbsp sunflower oil; 500g button onion; 500g small waxy potato; 175g smoked bacon lardon; 4 or 5 sage leaves; 200g spinach leaves; 2 tbsp sherry vinegar

⏱ 80 mins 🍽 Serves 6 🌶 mediterranean ✅ More effort 🏷 Main course

This Mediterranean dinner involves curing duck legs with sea salt a day in advance. After rinsing, the duck is pan-fried until golden and then finished in the oven. While it roasts, you prepare a side of onions cooked in duck fat, boiled potatoes, and a mix of bacon, sage and spinach, all brought together with a splash of sherry vinegar. The result is a flavourful main course for six, with a total cooking time of 80 minutes.

Ingredients

6 duck legs
2 tbsp sea salt
2 tbsp sunflower oil
500g button onion
500g small waxy potato
175g smoked bacon lardon
4 or 5 sage leaves
200g spinach leaves
2 tbsp sherry vinegar

Method

The day before cooking, arrange the duck legs in a dish. Sprinkle the sea salt over them, rubbing it into the skin. Cover the dish with cling film and refrigerate.
On cooking day, rinse the salt from the duck legs under cold water. Dry them thoroughly with a clean towel. Preheat your oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Warm the sunflower oil in a large frying pan. Cook the duck legs, fat-side down, in the pan for 15 mins until crisp and golden.
Turn the duck legs over and pour the rendered fat into a small bowl to reserve. Continue cooking for another 15-20 mins, then move the duck to a roasting dish. If necessary, cook the duck in batches. Once all the duck is browned, place the dish in the oven for 40-50 mins while you prepare the accompaniments.
Cook the button onions in a pan with 1 tbsp of the reserved duck fat for 20 mins until golden. In a separate pan of salted water, boil the small waxy potatoes for 15 mins. Drain them, peel off the skins and allow them to cool.
Add 2 tbsp of the reserved duck fat to the pan used for the duck. Place the potatoes, smoked bacon lardons, cooked onions and sage leaves in the pan. Fry everything for 10 mins until golden, then stir in the spinach leaves. Cook for 4 mins to wilt the spinach, then pour in the sherry vinegar. Increase the heat to evaporate any extra liquid, then spread this mixture onto a large serving plate. Arrange the roasted duck legs on top and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories471 kcal

Fat23 g

Saturates6 g

Carbs22 g

Sugars6 g

Fibre5 g

Protein43 g

Sodium880 mg

Salt2 g

Recipe details

Skill levelMore effort

CategoryMain course

Cuisinemediterranean