Braised Duck Legs with Hokkaido Pumpkin

In this post I am going to share a family recipe with you, inspired by my mother and her fond childhood memories. Duck and pumpkin may sound like an odd combination, but you will be surprise how well these two go together. By braising the duck legs with the pumpkin, it will release all its flavour, which will be then soaked up by the pumpkin like a sponge. On the other hand, the sweetness of the pumpkin and the aroma of star anise and ginger will mingle with the savoury flavour of the duck. I am using the small Hokkaido pumpkin for its sweetness. In other parts of the world it is also known as Kuri squash – Kuri means ‘chestnut’ in Japanese. For extra vibrant colours I am adding a small amount of carrots. Unfortunately, I couldn’t manage to get more than three duck legs the other day. Where I live, fresh duck meat is always sold out in an instant. It’s perfect, if you can get more than three duck legs, which are listed in the ingredients list below. Feel free to adjust the amount of meat that you need. 

This dish might take a bit of time to cook, but it’s worth the effort. Consider it as a good swap for a Sunday roast. This luscious dish is a great way to celebrate with your friends and family!  

The Hokkaido pumpkin is a great source for fiber, minerals and antioxidant Vitamins, especially Vitamin A. So, if you would like to boost your health and add a glow to your skin, you should definitely eat more of this.

Ingredients 

3 duck legs 

1 small Hokkaido pumpkin 

2 carrots 

1 big onion

4 gloves of garlic  

1 ginger root

3 star anise 

1 L chicken stock

1 bunch of parsley 

salt and pepper

Preps 

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Trim off the fat on the duck legs. Wash the duck legs and pat it them dry. Peal the ginger and grate half of the ginger finely. Rub the duck legs with the grated ginger and its juice. Season the duck legs on both sides with salt and pepper and marinade them for 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Peal the onion and garlic, and slice the rest of the ginger into thin slices. Cut the onion and dice the garlic finely. Peal the pumpkin and remove the seeds from the pumpkin. The skin of the pumpkin can be very hard, be careful not to cut yourself. Cut the pumpkin into chunks. Peal the carrot and cut them into chunks as well. 

Cooking 

Brown the duck legs in a pan or casserole dish on low heat, no oil is needed as the fat of the duck will come out naturally. You’ll probably need to drain away the fat from the pan. But it’s way to good to through it away. Put the duck fat into a jar and store it in the fridge for later use. You can make the best roast potatoes with it! 

When the duck legs are golden brown, remove them from the pan. Leave a small amount of the duck fat in the pan to cook the vegetables. In the same pan, fry the chopped onions and half of the garlic, ginger and star anise until fragrant. Then add the vegetables to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock to cover the vegetables and place the duck legs onto the vegetables. Cover the pan with a lid and put it into the oven for 90 minutes. 

The duck legs should be tender when ready. The pumpkin and carrots should be soft but not too mushy, though. Add the rest of the diced garlic to the pan and stir lightly. Bring the vegetables and duck legs onto a plate, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve it with bread.