Duck Legs With Cabbage and Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 2 duck legs
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 small red onion, sliced
• ¼ green cabbage, cut in thick slices
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 ripe tomatoes peeled, seeded and chopped

2 servings

Preparation

1. Trim the fat from under the skin around the duck legs. Combine the salt, pepper and rosemary. Sprinkle the mixture on the legs and let them marinate at room temperature for two hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a cast iron casserole and place the duck legs skin side down. Cook slowly for 20 minutes, until the legs are evenly browned. Pour the excess fat off as you cook.
3. Remove the legs from the pan and leave in one tablespoon duck fat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the cabbage, balsamic vinegar, pepper to taste and cook until the cabbage is wilted. Place the cabbage in a baking dish and put the duck legs on top. Spread the tomatoes over the top, cover and bake for one-and-a-half hours or until the duck legs are tender.

• This recipe is based on a dish by Paul Bertolli of Chez Panisse in “The Open Hand Cookbook” (Pocket Books $18.95).

4 hours 10 minutes