serves
4
prep
30 minutes
cook
2:30 hours
difficulty
Mid
serves
4
people
preparation
30
minutes
cooking
2:30
hours
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
- 4 duck marylands
- sea salt
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 stick celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ bunch thyme
- 1 litre chicken stock
- 500 ml veal stock
- 150 g wild mushrooms (pine or Slippery Jack)
- 50 ml olive oil
- 1 kg good-quality puff pastry
- 4 large spinach leaves, blanched, refreshed
- 1 egg, for brushing
- 300 g peas
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
Heat a heavy-based pot or oven tray. Season the duck legs lightly and seal over high heat until well coloured. Remove and set aside.
Add the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaves and thyme and colour well. Return the duck legs to the pan. Add the stocks and bring to the boil. Cover with foil and place in the oven at 160 degrees for 2–2½ hours or until tender.
Remove the duck from the stock and let cool. Strain and return to the boil to reduce.
Shred the duck meat and season. Slice the mushrooms and sauté in the olive oil. Mix with the duck. Form into 4 even sized balls, wrap in cling film and refrigerate until firm.
Cut the puff pastry into 8 even-sized discs and refrigerate.
Remove the duck from the cling film and wrap in the spinach leaves. Brush 4 of the puff rounds with beaten egg. Place a duck parcel in the centre of each and top with another disc of pastry. Press down to form a parcel. Trim any excess pastry and brush with beaten egg. Refrigerate until required.
When the stock has reduced to sauce consistency, strain through a fine sieve or cheese cloth and set aside.
Place the pies in the oven at 180°C for 20 minutes or until golden.
Bring a pot of water to the boil. Blanch the peas until cooked. Strain and crush with the butter.
Place a couple of spoonfuls of peas on each plate, top with the pies and serve with a jug of sauce.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
