YOUR RECIPE FOR CONVECTION COOKING!
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Crispy Braised Duck Legs with Polenta Casserole
Crispy skinned braised duck legs pair really well with creamy polenta, and if both dishes can be cooked at the same time in the oven, well, why not. What a great way to make good use of a Convection oven. Actually, I was skeptical about cooking polenta in the oven but decided it was worth a try since it can be tricky cooking it on the cooktop. Fortunately, it was a success!
You will need an oven safe skillet that you can use to sear the duck legs in before placing it in the oven as well as an oven safe pan or casserole dish for the polenta. The mushrooms can also be roasted in the oven or on the cooktop. Because the duck legs are not covered during the cooking the skin continues to brown and crisp while the meat simmers in the liquid until meltingly tender. Another easy and delicious Convection Meal.
Larissa Taboryski
Ingredients
4 - whole duck legs
1 - teaspoon kosher salt
½ - teaspoon herbs de Provence
1 - tablespoon vegetable oil
4 - cloves garlic, smashed
½ - cup red wine
½ - cup chicken stock
Oven Polenta
1 - cup polenta
4 - 6 - cups of water or milk and water combined
2 - tablespoons butter
Salt
Preparation
Preheat the oven in the Convection Bake or Convection Roast Mode 325 degrees.
Arrange the oven racks so the duck can be in the upper part of the oven and polenta in the lower part.
Pat the duck legs dry with paper towels and season with the salt and herbs de Provence.
Heat a 10 - 12” oven-proof skillet over moderate heat, add a little vegetable oil and place the duck legs in the skillet top side down. Leave the legs undisturbed to render their fat and begin to crisp, maybe 5 - 6 minutes, turn and repeat on the other side.
Remove the pan from the heat and carefully remove the duck legs and pour off most of the fat leaving a light coating in the pan. Return the pan to moderate heat and soften the garlic for a minute or so, then add the red wine and stock and cook for a few minutes. Return the duck legs to the pan and place uncovered in the oven.
Plan to cook the duck legs for at least 1 ½ hours or maybe longer if they are very meaty, the polenta will cook in about 50 minutes, so it can be added to the oven later.
Oven Polenta
Note - I started with 4 cups of water but added another cup at about the 40 minute mark because I wanted a creamier softer polenta. Less water will yield a stiffer polenta.
Combine the polenta and 4 cups of water with the butter and salt to taste in an oven-proof casserole.
Place in the oven under the duck and cook uncovered for approximately 50 minutes until smooth, adding more water as needed.
Serve with garlicky roasted mushrooms and a crisp winter salad.
Serves 4
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Baked Ham with Tangerine Glaze and Roasted Carrots
Since ham is already cooked by smoking it is most often eaten cold, however heated through and brushed with a fruity glaze it makes a great centerpiece for celebration meals.
In order to heat the ham through it usually needs a fair bit of time in a slow oven and to avoid drying out the meat it is covered until the final stage when the glaze is added. However, if you bake your unsliced ham in Convection you will not need to cover the ham and the heating through time will take approximately 1 ½ - 2 hours, depending on the weight of the ham. If you are heating a sliced ham then it must remain covered in foil to avoid drying out.
Ingredients
Preparation
1 - smoked ham, bone-in, skin on 7 - 9 lbs
1 - bunch fresh sage leaves
¾ - cup olive oil
1 - cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
2 - cups tangerine juice
2 - tangerines, sliced thin, seeds removed
2 - cups, packed light brown sugar
1 - cup water
½ - teaspoon whole cloves
2 - cinnamon sticks
1 ½ - lbs baby carrots
Preheat the oven in the Convection Mode 300 degrees.
Place the ham on a rack in a large roasting pan.
Score the ham with cuts in a diamond pattern about 2 inches apart and ½ deep.
Season generously with salt and pepper. Chop 8 of the sage leaves and mix with the olive oil to make a paste, rub all of the ham getting into the slits.
Bake for 2 hours.
Glaze:
Combine the butter, tangerine juice, tangerines, brown sugar, water and spices in a heavy medium saucepan and heat over medium heat.
Bring to a gentle boil and simmer until the liquid is reduced to a syrupy glaze, 30 - 40 minutes.
Brush the glaze over the ham when it has completed its initial heating phase. Add the baby carrots and another 8 chopped sage leaves and continue baking for another 40 - 50 minutes until the carrots are tender and the internal temperature of the ham is 150 degrees.
Serves 12
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