Two bottles of full-bodied red wines, such as Syrah
Three tablespoons olive oil
One head halved in half, plus one clove peeled
Four tablespoons of unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
One tablespoon of tomato paste
12 small pearl or cipollini onions, peeled
1 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Water
6 ounces of slab bacon, cut into strips 1/4-inch wide and sliced at a thickness of 1/3 inch
Six ounces of chanterelles or any other wild mushroom. If large, cut into pieces.
One tablespoon of finely chopped chives or flat-leaf parsley.
Directions
Duck legs can be cut into drumsticks or thighs.The breasts should be removed from the bone.Cut each breast in half, crosswise, through the bone.Remove and discard all the fat as much as you can from the carcass.Chop up the neck and back bones into two or three pieces.Salt and pepper the duck pieces as well as the bones that you have reserved.
Place the duck bones and pieces in a large roasting pan made of stainless steel.Sprinkle the celery, bay leaves, juniper, bay leaf, shallots, and carrots over the top.Pour the red wine on top of the meat and bones. Cover with plastic wrap, and let it sit overnight.The duck and bones should be turned around in the marinade several times.
Preheat the oven to 425deg.Remove the bones and pieces of duck from the marinade and pat them dry.Strain the marinade into a colander and reserve the liquid separately.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan.Add the drained veggies and garlic head, season with pepper and salt, and cook on high heat until liquid evaporates and vegetables begin to brown.Reduce the heat and stir often until the vegetables have a uniform browning, approximately 8 minutes.Remove the pan from heat.
Add the tomato paste and stir to combine.Sprinkle the remaining two tablespoons of flour over the casserole and stir until the flour is lightly browned.Bring the marinade to a simmer and add the vegetables to the skillet.Cover the dish with parchment paper, cover it with a lid, and bake for 1 1/4 hour. Skim the fat off every 20 minutes.
In a small pan, combine the cipolline onion with the chicken stock and sugar. Add one tablespoon of butter, the remaining thyme, and garlic clove.Salt and pepper to taste.Cover the pan with parchment paper, and cook on low heat for about 20 minutes.Remove the pan from heat.
Pour 2 inches of water into a small pan, add the bacon, and bring it to a rolling boil. Drain and pat dry.
Melt the remaining one teaspoon of butter in a large pan over medium heat.Toss the bacon in and cook until it is lightly browned.Add the chanterelles and season with pepper and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 8 minutes.
Transfer the drumsticks and thighs to a bowl for serving when the duck is ready.Pour the contents of the casserole into a large, coarse strainer. Press down on the solids in order to extract as much liquid from the dish as possible. Discard the solids.Remove the fat from the red wine sauce.
