Ànec amb Pera #EattheWorld

This month the Eat the World bloggers are traveling by tabletop to Andorra. Read more about the Eat the World project here.

I actually have several Andorran recipes to share this month because it is our focus for our May Eat the World and the location of our Cook the Books selection as well. And I forgot which one was for this. Yikes! Thankfully, I was reminded by the list before I got too far into writing up a different recipe.

Here's the Andorran line-up...

• Ànec amb Pera by Culinary Cam (you're here)

• Pa Amb Tomaquet by Amy's Cooking Adventures

• Truite de Carreroles by A Day in the Life on the Farm

• Vegan & Gluten Free Trinxat by Sneha's Recipe

Ànec amb Pera

I found mention of this recipe...but wasn't able to find a definitive recipe. So, this is my own interpretation of the two ingredients: Ànec (duck) and Pera (pear). This is not a traditional Andorran preparation! After I made this, I saw a note that the Andorran version differs from the Spanish version in that the Winter pears are often dipped in flour and fried. Hmmm...no. I didn't do that.

But we loved the fattiness of the duck paired with the sweetness of the pears. I will definitely be making this again soon.

Ingredients

Duck Legs

• 4 duck legs

• 1 large onion, peeled and thickly sliced (approximately 1-1/2 cups)

• 1 cup carrots, thickly sliced

• 1 cup celery, thickly sliced

• 1-1/2 cup stock, preferably homemade

• 1/2 cup pear juice

• salt and pepper

Poached Pears

• 3 to 4 pears

• 2 cups white wine

• 1 cup pear juice

• salt and pepper

Procedure

Duck Legs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a Dutch oven, place duck legs, skin side down. Turn heat to medium. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes until the fat is rendered and the skin golden and crisped. Flip to the other side and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the duck to a plate. Place the onions, carrots, and celery in the same Dutch oven with the rendered duck fat in the bottom. Lay the browned duck pieces on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Pour in the stock and pear juice. Bring to a boil, cover, and place in the oven. Braise for 90 minutes.

Raise the temperature of the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Return the duck to the oven, uncovered and roast for 15 to 20 minutes until the duck is browned and the skin on top crispy.

Poached Pears

Peel the pears, but leave the stem intact. That makes it easier to pick them up without damaging the flesh and it also looks cool! Pour the wine and juice into a saucepan.

Place the pears in the liquid and simmer gently at a very low heat for 25 to 30 minutes. You want the pears softened, but still retaining their shape.

To serve, place the poached pears in the center of the duck, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve family-style. Let everyone take what they wish. I served this with mashed potatoes.

That's a wrap for my Andorran #EattheWorld offering. Stay tuned for more recipes throughout the month of May. And this group will return in June with recipes from Venezuela.