Duck Legs and Carrots

I have to confess that duck kind of intimidates me. My favorite way of serving duck is this: I go to The Fruitful Basket, buy pre-packaged duck confit, heat it under the broiler, and put it on a plate.

I don't think I've ever really learned how to handle duck, and the breast is so different from the legs! And there's all that fat!!

Reader, if you too are intimidated by duck, Duck Legs and Carrots is an easy, straightforward way to approach it. I'm providing the link to Epicurious even though the recipe in the cookbook is adapted, which is to say made much easier. Still, the basic technique is the same, and this is what it is:

1. Cut extra fat away from duck legs, and saute that fat in a pan until you get about a tablespoon. Throw fat away.

2. Brown duck legs in pan, about 3-4 minutes each side. Take out and put on plate.

3. Saute Your Favorite Vegetables in duck fat (pour all but 2 tablespoons out) like garlic, onions, leeks, carrots, etc. Good roasting vegetables.

4. Put vegetables and duck (skin side up) in a oven-safe casserole dish (I used a pie plate), add some bundled herbs (like rosemary and parsely) and pour in chicken broth just until it reaches the skin.

5. Roast in a 400 oven, uncovered, for almost 2 hours.

The skin turns a beautiful mahogany brown, and is crispy--a marvelous contrast to the juicy braised meat underneath.

It's a winner, folks. And Stop n Shop sells duck legs for about $3/lb.--less than you pay for chicken breast.