We wanted to save this meal for a special day, and Festivus was special enough to become that day. My family loves Seinfeld, and one year for Christmas, my sister and I made a donation in my mom’s name to Toys for Tots…but we wrote in the card that we made a donation to “The Human Fund: Money for People.” Yeah, we’re our own brand of interesting. Anyway, with that memory in mind along with the fact that duck was Mom’s favourite food, this just felt right. I think she’d be proud of this one.
This particular recipe is a bit of a mix of two that we’ve made in the past. It combines Cherry Mint Mutton Strudel (the non-solid meat and fruity undertones) with a more traditional Wellington (prosciutto wrapped with mushrooms as a key component). We served this with Mashed Cauliflower, but it would also be great with Mashed Parsnips, Mashed Celery Root, Sneaky Mashed Potatoes (Version 1 or Version 2)…or even with a Mushroom Risotto! Of course, a side salad and/or steamed vegetables would work well too.
Lastly, while we served this for Festivus (before we progressed forward to the Airing of Grievances and the Feats of Strength), this would be a fantastic Christmas entree for those of you who aren’t “the restivus!”
Time: 5 Hours (4 hours of which is crockpot time where you don’t have to do anything).
Ingredients:
- 2 Duck Legs and Thighs (if you buy a whole duck, check out our post on how to Break it Down)
- A Splash of Worcestershire Sauce
- 8-10 Sheets Phyllo Dough (defrosted)
- 8 Cremini (Baby Bella) Mushrooms
- 1/2 Sweet Onion
- 4-5 Slices of Prosciutto
- Black Pepper
- Optional other flavourings. We went with crushed juniper berries and black currants, but honey mustard or whole grain dijon would be good as well.
Method:
- Rinse and pat your duck legs dry. Then, place them in your crockpot, and splash a little Worcestershire Sauce over them. Set the heat to low, and cook for 4-5 hours.
- About an hour before your duck legs are done, pull your defrosted phyllo dough from your fridge, and set it on the counter to get up to room temperature.
- As your duck is finishing in the crockpot, dice your onions and mushrooms, and grind up your juniper berries (if using) in a mortar and pestle with some black peppercorns. Then, sautee your onions, mushrooms, and spices together in some butter. (Black Currants and any mustard being used comes later).
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- When your duck is cooked, remove it from the crockpot and place the legs on a cutting board. Remove the skin (should come right off).
- Pull the meat off the legs and thighs, and place it in a bowl. Then, use two forks to shred the meat.
- Add your cooked mushrooms and onions to the bowl along with your choice of mustards and/or black currants, and stir to combine.
- Lay a piece of parchment paper over a large baking sheet. Then, working one sheet at a time, place a layer of phyllo dough down on your parchment paper. Then, give it a quick olive oil spray and a light sprinkle of black pepper. Do this until all of your phyllo is layered with a little oil between each sheet.
- Spread your prosciutto overtop your phyllo dough, leaving “margins” of about an inch on both sides and an inch on the long side of the phyllo facing away from you.
- Spread your pulled duck/onion/mushroom mixture into a long mound atop the middle of your prosciutto.
- Fold the sides of your dough up in the parallel direction as your prosciutto is layered, and then roll your dough into a giant log.
- Give your log a good oil spray, and stash it in the oven for about 25 minutes.
- When your dough is golden brown and crispy, remove from the oven, and transfer to a cutting board. Slice with a sharp knife.
- Plate, devour, and enjoy!
