When I think of a hearty winter dish, I don’t just imagine large portions of fatty food. Just as important are the combination of big savory flavors, the use of starch-on-starch and the way ingredients are cut.
Take this recipe for a filling winter pasta. I use whole wheat pasta rather than a pasta made with white flour because the whole wheat is slightly denser. The recipe calls for a slow duck braise made with red wine (heavier than white wine) and the addition of a second meat, andouille, which also adds a flavor of smoke.
The ingredients — the carrots in the braise, the kale, the mushrooms, even the cheese — are all cut into big pieces so they fill the mouth and coat the palate.
And finally the pasta is finished with breadcrumbs. There is nothing more satisfyingly rib-sticking than the combination of starch on starch. Think of beans and rice, potatoes on pizza or a burrito that might have three starches in it.
Note: The Braised Duck Leg recipe can be made ahead of time and freezes very well. Also, be sure to thoroughly dry the kale before you saute it, otherwise it will spatter when it hits the pan.
Whole Wheat Fusilli with Duck, Sausage, Mushrooms, Kale and Breadcrumbs
Serves 4.
Ingredients
4 large leaves kale
¼ pound andouille sausage, cut into medium dice
4 ounces cremini mushrooms
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound whole wheat fusilli, such as DeCecco
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Pinch chile flakes
1 3-ounce hunk pecorino romano
Handful coarse toasted breadcrumbs
BRAISED DUCK LEGS
Ingredients
2 duck legs, excess fat trimmed
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, sliced
1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced into ½-inch rounds
1 teaspoon tomato paste
½ cup red wine
1 bay leaf
1 sprig rosemary
Water to cover
Directions
Mix together the salt, pepper, cumin and fennel seed and season the duck legs all over with this spice mixture, reserving about one-quarter of it. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small Dutch oven. Brown the duck legs all over and add the onion and carrot. Cook the vegetables until wilted and slightly colored. Add the tomato paste and stir well to coat the duck and vegetables. Cook for 1 minute. Add the red wine and reduce until thickened. Add the water, bay leaf and rosemary and bring to a simmer.
Turn heat to low, and cook covered for about 2 hours, or until the skin on the drumstick pulls away and reveals the bone. Skim off any fat that comes to the surface. Remove the duck legs from the liquid, pull off the skin and shred the meat. Season the meat with the remaining spice mixture.
Strain the cooking liquid, reserving the carrots. Add the strained cooking liquid and the carrots to the shredded duck. Refrigerate the duck up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month ahead of time.FOR THE REST OF THE DISH
Remove the ribs from the kale. Wash the kale well and dry it thoroughly. Slice the trimmed kale into ribbons 1 inch wide. Heat half the olive oil in a large saute pan set over medium heat and add the kale. Wilt for about 1 minute. Add ⅓ of the sliced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add a few tablespoons of water to the pan and cook until the kale is just tender, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and some of the chile flakes. Cool in a single layer.
Wipe off the mushrooms with a paper towel. Cut each mushroom horizontally into 4 or 6 equal sized wedges, depending upon the size of the mushroom. Heat ⅓ of the olive oil in a saute pan over high heat and add the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are caramelized and tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
To finish the dish, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the fusiili, stirring well. Cook the pasta until al dente and drain.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the andouille sausage and caramelize lightly. Add the cooked mushrooms and kale and stir well into the sausage. Add the remaining garlic and cook 1 minute. Pour off any fat from the pot and add the duck meat.
Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until slightly thickened. Swirl in the butter and add a pinch of chile flakes.
Mix the pasta into the duck mixture and heat through. Remove the pasta from the heat.
With a vegetable peeler, shave half the pecorino into the pasta and divide the pasta among 4 heated bowls. Shave the remaining pecorino over the plated pasta and top with the breadcrumbs. Serve immediately.
