Duck Ragu with Pappardelle

Duck Ragu with Pappardelle

I love duck. And if I see duck stew in a restaurant here in Modena, you can almost be sure that I'd order it. It makes a good change from the usual gnocco and tigelle.

A few months ago, we lunched in a restaurant near Torre Maina after our walk to the waterfall and I tasted the Duck Ragu with Pappardelle that some ordered. It was delicious and set me thinking that I should make one myself soon.

Last evening Hub grilled a few duck magrets on the BBQ to go with the fried potato and chanterelle that I've prepared and I made sure that I kept a good half of the duck for my stew this evening. I planned to have a duck ragu done my way, Hub and MIL will have veal tongue with hot sauce and the kids pasta all'arrabbiata. I've decided that everyone should just have what he likes this evening.

The sun is out again. I'm stuck filing our French taxes and will need Hub's help because they have changed a number of conditions and looks like our taxes will triple this year. But he wouldn't be able to look at it before the weekend.

Went to the gym again with MIL and then to lunch in a Chinese restaurant near the gym. Have to prepare a few gifts for the Babies' teachers (this is the last week of school) as well as my coming trip to London with the Teenager. Yes, we'll be going away for 3 days just mother and son - that is, unless you count his classmate AS and his mum who have decided to tag along.

Tomorrow we have a cookery class at GA's which would also be our last before the next school year. She will move to Lebanon this Summer, marking the end of 3 years of friendship and many good moments spent together. It is sad, but I'll think about it again another day.

Duck Ragu with Pappardelle :

300g Duck magret

1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 small Onion (chopped)

1 large Carrot (sliced)

2 Garlic cloves (chopped)

1 sprig fresh Rosemary

A few dried Porcini mushrooms (soaked in hot water)

150ml Red wine

250ml Chicken stock

6-8 Cherry tomatoes (peeled)

1 Bird's eye chilli

Ground black pepper

Fresh Pappardelle

Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the pot and place the magret skin-down on it. Sweat out the fat and turn it over to the other side. Once browned, remove and set aside.

Add some olive oil to the duck fat and fry the onions, garlic, carrots and rosemary till fragrant.

Add the cherry tomatoes and the chilli.

Pour in the porcini mushrooms and the hot water used to soak them.

Pour in the red wine followed by the chicken stock.

Sprinkle some ground black pepper into the sauce and return the duck skin-side up to the pot. The sauce should cover the duck (but not the skin). Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Remove the duck from the pot again and chop it into tiny pieces. Return the meat to the sauce and simmer for another 30 minutes especially to reduce the sauce if it's still too liquid.

Serve the duck ragu on freshly cooked pappardelle pasta as it is or process it before doing so.

Things didn't go according to plan finally. Everyone looked at me when I took out a plate of this duck stew pasta and insisted on trying it. I ended up having to share with Hub and the Babies. Thank God I made extra - as usual.