You can make this Provençal dish with whole duck, but it’s also great with legs. The covered pan-roasting does a good job of keeping the duck’s breast from drying out, while the legs become tender. It makes a lovely presentation, and the sauce is delicious. If you have only black olives, that’s fine, but add a tablespoon or two of capers to the mix. As with many (if not most) French dishes, this is best with bread and a salad.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 whole duck, the larger the better

　　10 or more garlic cloves, peeled and lightly smashed

　　Several fresh thyme sprigs

　　2 bay leaves

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　1 cup fruity red wine

　　1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned are fine), with their juice

　　2 cups good-quality olives, preferably a combination of green and black

　　Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

　　

Step 1

Discard the duck neck and giblets or keep them for another use; remove excess fat from the duck’s cavity. In the bottom of a casserole or broad saucepan large enough to hold the duck comfortably, put the garlic, thyme, and bay leaves. Salt the duck well, then place the duck, breast side down (wings up), on top of this bed. Add the wine and tomatoes and sprinkle with pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover the pan and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily but not violently.

　　

Step 2

Cook undisturbed for 30 minutes; the duck should be starting to brown. Baste it with the pan juices and re-cover; continue to cook, basting occasionally, until the duck is nicely browned and the legs tender when pierced with the tip of a thin-bladed knife, at least another half hour. Add the olives and cook for another 30 minutes or so. (This will keep nicely over very low heat for at least another 30 minutes.) Garnish with parsley and serve.

　　

Duck Legs with Olives

Step 3

This can serve 8 people, as long as you include a couple of side dishes. Substitute 8 duck legs for the whole duck; trim them of all visible fat. Set up a flameproof casserole or broad skillet as described. If you like, add 1 large onion, roughly chopped, 2 carrots, roughly chopped, and 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped, to the bottom of the skillet. Turn the heat to medium and add all the remaining ingredients except the parsley. When the mixture reaches a lively simmer, turn the heat to low and cover; adjust the heat as directed. The duck will be tender in about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the duck to a warm plate and cover (or place in a very low oven), then turn the heat to medium-high under the remaining sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced to a thick, saucelike consistency, about 10 minutes. Spoon over the duck legs, garnish with the parsley, and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.