Duck ala De Striuse
Braised Duck Legs in Pannepot (Spiced Dark Ale)
In the early 1900s, the village of De Panne, close to the French border, was famous for two things -- the ‘Pannepots,’or fishing boats, that could be seen along the coast, and the unique dark ale enjoyed by the local fishermen. Our Old Fisherman’s Ale is a tribute to these hardy sailors and their rich, flavorful brew.
Pannepot is an unfiltered, unpasteurized, bottle-conditioned dark ale with an intense, complex chocolate malt aroma, roasted accents, and subtle hints of spice.
Ingredients:
4Each Duck Legs, with thigh attached4OuncesUnsalted butter, organic2OuncesOlive Oil2Each Leeks, white and light green part only, sliced1Each Yellow Onion, peeled and sliced2Each Carrots, peeled and diced2Each Shallot, peeled and sliced1Each Vanilla Bean, sliced in half1Each Blood Orange or Cara Cara Orange, sliced in half1Bunch Thyme, fresh2TBSP Special Spiced Port2Cup Chicken Stock, preferably homemade Sea Salt and Cracked Black PepperDirections:
Wash duck legs and pat dry with a paper towel. Place legs into a shallow container, large enough to hold all 4 legs in an even layer and pour the Pannepot over the top (1). Cover and refrigerate for 3 days. Preheat oven to 350°
Remove the duck legs from the beer, reserving the Pannepot for braising. Pat the legs dry with paper towels and with a sharp knife, score the skin in long slats across the leg/thigh (2, 3). Repeat the process until all four legs have been scored.
In a dutch oven or large sauté pan over medium heat, add olive oil and butter (4). Add the duck legs, scored side down to the dutch oven (5). Brown each side for 6 minutes, forming a nice crust (6). Remove from the pan and place into a bowl (7). Add the sliced leeks (8) and sauté for 5 minutes or until translucent (9). Remove the leeks from the pan adding to the duck leg bowl, reserving the butter/oil in the pan. 
Next add carrots, onions and shallots (10, 11) and sauté for 6 minutes, or until lightly caramelized (12). Add sautéed leeks back to the pan (13), deglazing with Pannepot and special Port (15). Using a wooden spoon or tongs (15), scrap any fond or caramelized bits on the bottom of the pan off. Add duck legs in a single layer back to the pot, topping off with vanilla bean, oranges (squeezing the juice out) and thyme (16). Bring to a boil (17), cover with a lid and place into the center of the oven for 2 – 2 ½ hours or the duck is fork tender (18, 19). 1
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To finish the dish, carefully remove the duck legs from the stock and vegetables and bring to a boil. Check seasoning; remove vanilla bean, thyme and orange halves from the cooked vegetables. If the sauce is a little thin, you can mount the sauce with some cold butter or if too think use some chicken stock. Place some Potato Celery Root Purée to the side of your plate, prop a duck leg on to the purée, and garnish with the sauce of vegetables and stock. Garnish with chervil and vanilla bean.For pair a beer to this dish: After having Pannepot, both a 2006 and a 2003; I was so inspired by these brews from Urbain, Carlo and Phil that I created this dish to showcase the unique and incredible flavors of their beer… Please, ask your local watering hole or bottle store to bring this beer to their shelves. This beer with time will evolve and morph into something very dramatic on your tongue, like art on ones palate. There is a reason ratebeer has scored this beer in 18th place, out of 100 beers of 2007.
Carlo was kind enough to send me some pictures of a recent dinner he had. Low and behold Duck ala De Struise on Belgian soil. With a Pannepot in hand, I couldn’t think of a better beer to pairing or a better way to spend the evening!
To find out more on De Struise Beers:
Beer Collaborations:
