Comforting duck legs with pearl barley

I already know in the store that there will be duck legs with pearl barley, when I take the legs from the refrigerator and put them in the shopping cart. For me, it’s such a comfort food for the cold season, the kind where everything boils down to endless deliciousness and is still so simply prepared. Not the most elegant, but a far cry from the sophisticated French duck leg confit, this dish is rustic in every way. In other words, tie aprons and produce.

First, let’s prepare the ingredients

Count one leg per diner. Below are the proportions for making 2 – 4 duck legs. Here, as in the instructions for loose tea, when an additional amount is indicated for a \”teapot\”, you need a certain amount of ingredients for the pot to have something to brew with. The amount of vegetables and grains will be the same for four diners, but if you eat for two and have leftovers, you can make soup or simply reheat to eat the next day.

Duck legs remove from the package, drain and leave to dry. It is very healthy to dry the duck, after buying it you can safely unpack it and leave it on a wooden table for the next day. The duck is especially delicious when matured in this way breasts meat If you’re worried about it going bad, sprinkle with pepper and herbes de Provence. 

100 gr pearl barley rinse under running water and leave to soak while you chop the other ingredients.

Shave and peel a pair of medium ones or one of the larger ones a carrot. Cut into slices.

Peel one medium onion, chop finely.

Goes well in this stew red pepper, if you like it, and you have it, cut one small one.

It’s also delicious celery stems, cut a couple of pieces.

Peel a few garlic lobes.

Take five washes dried plum.

Prepare a glass of fragrant alcoholic drink, vermouth, port, brandy, rum are suitable, I sometimes sip homemade cherry bitters. It should have sweetness and a lot of aroma. Don’t be afraid, the alcohol will evaporate during cooking, leaving only the aroma in the dish. If you don’t have alcohol at home, add a spoonful of plum or cherry jam, only without pits:) You can flavor it with cardamom, cinnamon, just don’t overdo it. 

We produce

I cook everything in one pot. Mostly in a pressure cooker, but it will fit perfectly sharp casserole dish.

Put the drumsticks skin side down in the pot and fry them. Duck has a lot of fat, so not only will you not need any extra oil, but even if the drumsticks release a lot of fat, pour off the excess and use it to fry the potatoes.

When the skin is browned, remove the drumsticks to a separate container.

Add the onions to the pan and cook until translucent and caramelized.

Add spices crushed in a mortar, black pepper, coriander seeds, bay leaf. herbs de Provence, garlic, fry for a minute, then add carrots, peppers, celery, lightly fry.

Add the duck legs, plums, salt and a dash of sweeter alcohol (vermouth, liqueur, rum or even brandy), let the pot heat up. 

Then add the soaked pearl millet and add water. Cover the pot and simmer. 

When cooking in a pressure cooker, the liquid does not evaporate anywhere, so it is important to maintain the right proportions and not to increase the water.

100 g of lightly soaked pearl barley will absorb 300 g of liquid during cooking. Pour that much. After 30-40 minutes, the stew will be ready. According to the pressure cooker instructions, release the pressure and open the pot. 

If you are stewing in a slow cooker, pour 300 – 400 g of water and check every time whether it has evaporated and there is enough liquid. Add a little more if needed. The stew will be ready in an hour and a half.

Serve in convenient bowls, garnish with fresh thyme.

Duck legs with pearl barley! It is best eaten with woolen socks and wrapped in a soft sweater. Totally cute.