Duck Ragù Risotto

History & Background

A dish of the Venetian Polesine, where wild duck of the valleys was abundant game. A peasant tradition of the lower Venetian and Paduan plains, codified in the 1800s in 'osterie con cucina'.

Ingredients for 4

• 1 duck (or 4 legs)
• 1 carrot, 1 onion, 1 celery
• Bay, sage, rosemary
• 200g tomato passata
• 1 glass red wine
• 320g Carnaroli rice
• 1.2L beef broth
• 60g cold butter
• 80g Grana Padano
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Method

1. Bone and cube the duck; brown in a heavy pan.
2. Skim the fond, removing some of the released oil.
3. Sauté a mirepoix of carrot, onion and celery.
4. Return the duck, deglaze with red wine, add passata, herbs and broth.
5. Cover and cook 2 hours until very tender. Shred.
6. Toast rice in the fond, deglaze, add beef broth.
7. Halfway through, fold in the duck ragù.
8. Manteca off heat with cold butter and Grana Padano.

Wine pairing

Amarone della Valpolicella or Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso: Veneto reds of character.

Common mistakes

• Not skimming the fond (duck is fatty, dish gets greasy).
• Undercooking the meat (tough).
• Overdoing herbs (cover the braise flavour).