Duck Braised in Banyuls and Turnip-Parsnip Gratin with Prunes

Name: Duck Braised in Banyuls and Turnip-Parsnip Gratin with Prunes
Ingredients: 6 large duck legs, 8 to 10 ounces each; 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, plus 6 whole sprigs thyme; Zest of 1 orange; 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 1/2 cups diced onion; 1/2 cup diced fennel; 1/2 cup diced carrot; 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh; 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar; 2 cups Banyuls; 3 to 4 cups chicken stock; 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves; Turnip-parsnip gratin with prunes (recipe follows); Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 1/2 pounds turnips, peeled; 1 1/2 pounds parsnips, peeled; About 2 cups heavy cream; 1 tablespoon thyme leaves; 1/3 pound pitted prunes, quartered; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

January 24, 2012

One particularly chilly weekend (yes, we have those here every once in a while), I needed a dish that would be opulent and soul-satisfying. At first, duck braised in red wine came to mind. But, I wanted something even more intense and a little bit sweet, and I arrived at Banyuls, a fortified wine from the south of France. Extracted from grenache grapes grown on the rocky, terraced vineyards that overlook the sea, Banyuls is classically paired with chocolate and has deep notes of chestnut, mocha, and dried fruit. As the duck and Banyuls cooked together slowly in the oven, the deeply concentrated wine permeated the meat and produced a rich ruby broth. A gratin of turnips and potatoes dotted with prunes and baked with cream proved the perfect companion for the tender, falling-apart duck bathed in crimson juices.

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