Duck with Lentils, Dates and Radicchio is a modern Fusion recipe (based on a Italian flavours) for a classic festive dish of roast goose surrounded by a blend of lentils, cotechino sausage, dates, radicchio and parsley that can be served as a lucky dish for New Year. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Fusion version of: Duck with Lentils, Dates and Radicchio.
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For several years now we’ve been having turkey for Christmas and duck for New Year. This year I’m having duck for Christmas and Guinea Fowl for New Year, just for a change. Partly as the freezer is full, and partly as it was really hard getting a turkey last year. Indeed, we’ve already had a turkey for the solstice. Duck and fruit always go well, and here I’m taking a North African approach using lentils and dates. However, I think you need something to cut through that richness. Normally I would use vinegar to make a sharp gravy. But I decided to use radicchio this time. Partly for the colour, and partly as its bitterness yields a contrast to the meat and fruit (in milder climes dandelion greens would work just as well). Cotechino is an Italian large pork sausage requiring slow cooking; usually it is simmered at low heat for several hours.
This also makes an excellent New Year's day dish with the lentils symbolizing luck and prosperity for the forthcoming year.
Ingredients:
1 whole duck (about 1.5 kg), giblets removed
1 tbsp sea salt
3 large oranges, quartered
1 head garlic, halved crossways
1 bunch thyme
500g cotechino (or 500g good-quality sausages)
300g puy lentils, rinsed
1 large white onion, peeled and diced
3 tbsp olive oil
pinch of salt
1 garlic clove, crushed
pinch of chilli flakes
750ml chicken stock
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
200g medjool dates (or the best quality dates you can find), stones removed and flesh coarsely chopped
1 radicchio, cut into 8 wedges
handful of coriander or flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 4).
Sit a rack in a roasting tin and place the duck on top. Prick the surface of the skin with a skewer or cocktail stick, making sure to do poke extra holes around the joint of the legs.
Boil a kettle and pour 200ml of hot water over the bird. Pat the skin dry with kitchen paper and rub the sea salt all over. The water can remain in the bottom of the roasting tin as it evaporates while cooking. Insert the orange quarters, garlic head and thyme into the cavity of the duck. Transfer the duck and roasting tin into the hot oven and roast for 60 minutes.
In the meantime, place the cotechino, still in the vacuum bag it came in, into a large pot and cover with cold water. Set this over a medium heat, bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the hot bag of cotechino and set aside to cool in a bowl. Open the bag and slit down the length of the sausage, removing and discarding the skin. Mash the sausage meat with the fat and set side. If you’re using sausages, simmer them gently until cooked, then remove the meat from the skin and mash.
Bring a pot of water to the boil over a high heat. Once boiling, add the lentils and cook them for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse them under plenty of cold running water.
In a large pan, heat the oil and use to soften the onion with a pinch of salt over a low heat. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes, until soft but not coloured. Stir in the crushed garlic and chilli flakes and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the parboiled lentils. At this point pour over the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook over a medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the lentils are soft. Once cooked, add the sherry vinegar and olive oil, season to taste and set aside.
Turn up the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, gas mark 7) and cook the duck for a further 20-25 minutes or until the duck skin is crisp and golden.
Carefully remove the duck and set aside to rest for 15 minutes. Re-heat the lentils and fold in the cotechino, dates, radicchio and parsley until everything is hot and the radicchio leaves are wilted.
Carve the duck and serve with a generous spoonful of the lentil and radicchio mix.
