Ingredients

Method

• 2 T olive oil
• 4 duck leg-and-thigh portions, skin removed
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 250 ml red wine (preferably Pinotage)
• 500 ml chicken stock
• 1 x 400 g tomatoes can
• 2 T tomato paste
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 350 g green beans
• 4 T butter
• 1/2 lemon
• 400 g pappardelle, cooked al dente
• Parmesan, for serving

Method

Ingredients

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat.

Brown the duck portions in the oil on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Brown the carrots, celery, onion and garlic in the same pan in which the duck was browned, then add the rosemary and bay leaves.

Pour in the wine and reduce by half. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes and tomato paste. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the duck.

Simmer for 2½ to 3 hours or until the duck begins to fall from the bone. Remove the duck from the pot and set aside to cool slightly.

Shred the meat from the bones and return it to the sauce. Discard the bones. Season the ragu with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Blanch the green beans in the boiling water for 1 minute then transfer to iced water to stop the cooking process.

Heat the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Remove any of the foam that rises to the surface to clarify the butter.

Continue doing this until the butter turns brown but is not burnt. Squeeze the lemon juice into the butter and add the green beans. Cook until the beans are just warm and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Spoon the ragu over the pappardelle and serve with the green beans and Parmesan on the side.

Read more about TASTE's Food Editor Abigail Donnelly and the exclusive dinner she cooked for André Naudé the article, The Highest Bidder.