Recipe - Duck Ragu on Tagliatelle

Ingredients

• 4 duck marylands
• 1 large onion and 1 carrot, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 cup (70g) tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 2 cups (500ml) dry red wine
• 300ml chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves and 2 tablespoons thyme leaves
• Pared rind and juice of 1 orange
• 500g tagliatelle or any wide pasta
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.
2. Place a large flameproof casserole over medium heat. Add duck, skin-side down, and cook for 6 minutes, then turn and cook for a further 4 minutes. Remove duck and drain fat, leaving 2 tablespoons in the pan. Add the onion, carrot and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for a further minute. Sprinkle with the flour and stir to combine. Add the wine, stock, herbs, rind and juice. Bring to the boil and season. Return the duck to the pan, cover and cook in the oven for 2 hours.
3. Remove the duck from sauce, skim as much residual fat from the surface as you can. Place casserole over medium heat. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until sauce has reduced slightly. When duck is cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones and shred meat. Return meat to casserole.
4. To serve, cook pasta in boiling salted water according to packet instructions, then drain. Return to the pan, add the sauce and toss to combine. Divide pasta among plates and serve sprinkled with parsley and grated parmesan.