BOTH of this week’s recipes are staples on the menu at our Belfast restaurant The Bar + Grill. These dishes have been perfected over time and when taken off the menu the customer politely “provides feedback” and the dish in question gets reinstated.
Both can be cooked at home – the ragu is a very moreish dish which is a great weekday dinner for all the family. They require that little bit more effort – the duck is a little complicated – but they are definitely worth the effort. Hope you enjoy!
FRIED SQUID WITH TOMATO CEVICHE
Tomato ceviche:
4 plum tomatoes
8 cherry tomatoes
2 salad tomatoes
1 shallot
1 spring onion
For the dressing:
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
3 chillis, deseeded and diced
2 lemons, juiced
2 tsp soy sauce
¼ tsp ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
3 tbsp cabernet sauvignon vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
Cut tomatoes into eighths, except cherry tomatoes which should be halved. For the shallot, slice in the round. The spring onion should be sliced as finely as possible. Place all ingredients in a bowl and season with Maldon salt and pepper.
For the dressing, place all ingredients into pot and cook on gentle heat for six minutes; blend using stick blender while still warm. Check for seasoning. To serve, place tomatoes, shallot and spring onion in bowl; pour over dressing and toss.
For the Fried Squid:
500g of squid, cut into strips
Squid Flour (Serves 4)
300g corn flour
150g rice flour
90g potato flour
5g garlic powder
4g salt
10g white pepper
Mix through all dry ingredients. Thoroughly coat squid strips with flour mix and deep fry for 1 minute at 180C. Squeeze with fresh lemon and garnish with sliced chilli, spring onion and pickled coriander leaves and serve with the tomato ceviche.
DUCK RAGU WITH PAPPARDELLE
Duck Confit (Serves 4):
2 duck legs
1 garlic clove
1 tsp white peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 sprig thyme
4 tblsp coarse sea salt
Fat from the duck carcass
150ml water
Peanut oil or chicken fat
This dish needs to marinate the day before you want to serve. Place the duck legs in a dish and add in chopped garlic, the crushed peppercorns, the bay leaves and pick the thyme off the stalk. Add in the sea salt and cover in cling film and leave in the fridge for 24 hours.
To cook, chop up the duck fat and place in a pan with the water and simmer for two hours or until the duck fat becomes clear. You can buy duck fat from all good supermarkets and delicatessen if you do not want to use the fat from the carcass. Using a sieve, strain the fat into a clean pan and add the duck legs, ensuring the marinade and salt has been cleaned off. If the legs are not covered in the fat, top up with peanut oil or chicken fat and simmer for 90 minutes or until the legs are tender. Once tender, take off the heat but let the legs cool in the fat. When you are ready to serve the legs, instead of using for the ragu below, reheat in a hot oven (200C) for five minutes.
Duck Ragu:
2 duck legs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flour
2 onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 sticks celery, diced
1 tsp garlic
100ml canned tomatoes, peeled with juices
2 bay leaves
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig rosemary
1 tsp crushed red pepper, or to taste
1 tsp dried oregano
50ml chicken stock
1 pound of dried pappardelle pasta
Parmesan to taste
In a pan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Season your confit duck legs with salt and pepper. Dredge the duck legs in the flour and shake off any excess. Add the duck legs to the pan and cook until the duck is golden brown – about five minutes per side. Transfer the duck to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium; add the remaining olive oil, onions, garlic, carrots and celery and cook until the vegetables are caramelised, stirring occasionally, usually about five minutes. It’s important to caramelise the vegetables slowly; this is the basis of the sauce.
Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, crushed red pepper and oregano, cooking for an additional three minutes. Add the duck legs back to the pan along with the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until duck is very tender – about 45-55 minutes.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook until al dente and drain. Toss the pasta with a bit of olive oil and salt, to taste. In a large mixing bowl, toss the pasta with the duck ragu. Season with salt and mix well. To serve, mound onto serving plates and garnish with the grated Parmesan.
