Duck Ragu and Pappardelle

You guys know I get inspiration for dinner all over the place.  In the absence of Mark Bitman, I've become a fan of Sam Sifton - who put out this article last Wednesday: NYTimes: Sam Sifton, Duck, Duck, Anchovy Article.   Now duck + anchovy may not = YUM in your head, Sifton was trying to recreate the flavor of a particular waterfoul called brant, which apparently resembles pork but tastes like fish - sounds fishy to me.  However, a duck ragu sure sounds good - and it certainly is buzzing around.  GP was just blogging about her duck ragu on GOOP last week also - the recipe happens to be in her new book (which is lovely and annoying all at once.)  Anywho. I will make a duck ragu all my own - I have my basic ragu base - carrots, onion, celery, garlic, paste or crushed toms, stock, herbs - and I'll integrate the duck somehow, and of course some sort of bacon or pancette.

 Here's how to make it!


Duck Ragu with Pappardelle
2 duck breasts
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 fennel, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 cans of tomato, crushed
2 cloves garlic, minced
couple sprigs of fresh basil, oregano, parsley
splash of dry white wine
box of pappardelle
grated asiago or pecorino (or parm)
salt
pep

Sauce:
Fry your bacon in a non-stick skillet over high heat, scoop out your bacon when golden brown and pour off the fat.  Score the fat side of your duck breasts in a 1-inch diamond pattern, season with salt and pepper.  Sear in the same pan for a couple of minutes, fat side down to render out the fat, cover to prevent splattering - and steam.  Flip after a few minutes and continue.  Pull out the duck after about 10 minutes.  It will look like this:

Get your veggies in a big sauce pan over medium heat with some oil and a few dribbles of the duck fat (it's super flavorful - how often are you making duck ragu - may as well go all out.)  Saute your veggies until they soften and begin to brown.  Add your garlic and saute a bit longer.  Then add your tomato and wine.  Submerge your duck submarines in the sauce and tuck in your herbs (leave them whole so you can fish them out later.)  Simmer for an hour or so on low low heat.  After 35 minutes start to check your duckies.  Once the meat starts to fall apart, pull them out of the tomato bath and set on your chopping board.  Fish out your herbs.  Soon as the breasts cool a bit, take off the fat layer (mine pulled off in one piece) and then shred the meat with two forks and plop back into the sauce.

Pasta:
Get a big stock pot on full boil while your sauce is simmer so that at the last minute you'll be ready to salt your water and drop your pasta.  I went all out and bought a posh Cipriani brand uber thin style pappardelle.  A little expensive, but this is a special dinner - so why not?  Cook your pasta according to the directions on the package.  Reserve a cup of the pasta water.  Drain pasta.  Pour your sauce into the big stock pot and dump your noodles on top.  Swirl your pasta and ragu around.  If the sauce is a little tight, loosen with your pasta water.  Serve in heaping piles covered with your cheese, a grind of black pepper and a few shreds of fresh basil.  ENJOY!