You can make this Provençal dish with whole duck, but it’s also great with legs. The covered pan-roasting does a good job of keeping the duck’s breast from drying out, while the legs become tender. It makes a lovely presentation, and the sauce is delicious. If you have only black olives, that’s fine, but add a tablespoon or two of capers to the mix. As with many (if not most) French dishes, this is best with bread and a salad.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Discard the duck neck and giblets or keep them for another use; remove excess fat from the duck’s cavity. In the bottom of a casserole or broad saucepan large enough to hold the duck comfortably, put the garlic, thyme, and bay leaves. Salt the duck well, then place the duck, breast side down (wings up), on top of this bed. Add the wine and tomatoes and sprinkle with pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover the pan and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily but not violently.
Step 2
Cook undisturbed for 30 minutes; the duck should be starting to brown. Baste it with the pan juices and re-cover; continue to cook, basting occasionally, until the duck is nicely browned and the legs tender when pierced with the tip of a thin-bladed knife, at least another half hour. Add the olives and cook for another 30 minutes or so. (This will keep nicely over very low heat for at least another 30 minutes.) Garnish with parsley and serve.
Duck Legs with Olives
Step 3
This can serve 8 people, as long as you include a couple of side dishes. Substitute 8 duck legs for the whole duck; trim them of all visible fat. Set up a flameproof casserole or broad skillet as described. If you like, add 1 large onion, roughly chopped, 2 carrots, roughly chopped, and 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped, to the bottom of the skillet. Turn the heat to medium and add all the remaining ingredients except the parsley. When the mixture reaches a lively simmer, turn the heat to low and cover; adjust the heat as directed. The duck will be tender in about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the duck to a warm plate and cover (or place in a very low oven), then turn the heat to medium-high under the remaining sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced to a thick, saucelike consistency, about 10 minutes. Spoon over the duck legs, garnish with the parsley, and serve.
