Duck and red wine pie recipe | Sainsbury`s Magazine (2024)

A generous glass of full-bodied Merlot helps to create a wonderfully balanced sauce in this comforting, rich duck pie – it would make a wonderful weekend lunch or supper party dish

Debbie Major

Cook, writer and food stylist, Debbie's reputation for foolproof, delicious recipes is second to none. She is renowned for her dedication to seasonal home cooking and her love of all things rustic and authentic. Simplicity over cheffy is her motto!

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Ingredients

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Step by step

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Heat a large, flameproof casserole, add the bacon and oil and fry until crisp and lightly golden. Remove to a large plate using a draining spoon.
2. Season the duck legs and fry on both sides until golden brown. Remove to the plate.
3. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the casserole. Add the shallots and fry until they begin to brown. Sprinkle with the sugar and continue to cook until richly golden all over. Set aside with the bacon and duck.
4. Melt the butter in the casserole, add the garlic and fry for just a few seconds but don’t let it brown. Stir in the flour and then gradually stir in the red wine, beef stock and redcurrant jelly. Bring to the boil, stirring. Return the bacon and shallots to the casserole, rest the duck legs on top, cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour. Uncover, stir in the carrots, re-cover and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes, until the duck is very tender.
5. Remove the pastry from the fridge and leave it to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Lift the duck legs out of the casserole and set to one side until cool enough to handle. Then discard the skin and remove the meat from the bones in chunky pieces. Skim all the fat from the top of the sauce then stir in the duck meat, peas, mint and seasoning to taste. Spoon the mixture into a 2-litre capacity pie dish with a rim. Push a pie funnel into the middle of the mixture and leave to cool.
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Unroll the pastry on a lightly floured surface, roll it out further if needed, then cut to roughly fit the shape of your dish. Brush the rim of the dish with a little beaten egg. Cut the trimmings into strips; press onto the rim. Brush with a little more egg. Cut a cross in the centre of the lid and lift on top, allowing the pie funnel to poke through. Press the edges to seal. Put the pie onto a baking tray, brush with beaten egg. Then using the back of a knife, score a diamond pattern on top.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling is bubbling.