Duck breasts are delicious—that crackling skin and fat, the tender, ruby-hued meat. Duck legs do even more for me; the meat is darker, richer, and full of incredible flavor. If you plan on making a duck breast for dinner, buy a whole duck and roast the legs just so you can make this dish. Alternatively, I suppose you could buy a roasted duck from a Chinese barbecue and pick the meat. Bloomsdale is a lovely, crinkly variety of spinach that is full-bodied and flavorful. If you can’t find Bloomsdale, any heirloom or organic spinach will do. Make sure you wash the leaves well, dunking a few times to remove all the sand and grit.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　4 cups Parmesan Brodo (page 47)

　　2 roasted duck legs

　　6 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

　　1 small onion, minced

　　1 cup farro

　　1/2 cup white wine

　　2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 (8-ounce) bag pearl onions, peeled and halved lengthwise

　　1 bunch Bloomsdale spinach, washed well

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

　　1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

　　

Step 1

Place the broth in a saucepan and set over low heat to keep hot.

　　

Step 2

Pick the meat off the duck legs and discard the bones. You should end up with about 1 1/2 cups of loosely packed meat.

　　

Step 3

In a high-sided sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the garlic and minced onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft. Add the farro and stir to coat in the butter, then add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine is absorbed, 5 to 6 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Add 1 cup of the broth. Cook until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

　　

Step 5

While the farrotto is cooking, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over high heat. Add the pearl onions and sauté until well browned in spots and tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.

　　

Step 6

Add 1 more cup broth to the farrotto and continue cooking until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add another 1 1/2 to 2 cups broth in 1/2-cup additions. After each addition, continue tasting the farrotto for doneness. It should be nearly tender with some resilience. Add the duck meat, spinach, and pearl onions. Cook until the spinach is completely wilted, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 7

Remove from the heat and fold in the cheese and the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. The farrotto should be creamy and glossy. Serve.

　　Ethan Stowell's New Italian Kitchen