Roast Duck Legs, Italian Sausage and Rice Stuffing

This was my Christmas dinner. I’m not fond of turkey. I’d rather have duck or goose, so I made duck legs with Italian sausage and rice stuffing instead. I didn’t make the Brussels sprouts, so I don’t have a recipe for them. I used a Cajun Dirty Rice, but regular rice works very well.

Roast Duck Legs

• 2 duck legs
• kosher salt

1. Place the duck legs on a large plate and dry it all over with kitchen paper and keep them in the fridge until they are needed. Prick the skin all over. Season the legs with kosher salt. Let them come to room temperature.
2. Preheat an oven to 275 F. Place duck legs skin side down in a small baking dish (the smaller the better — as they cook, the duck fat will render and melt; it helps for the duck legs to be sitting in the fat!). Cook for 1 ½ hours, basting with the rendered fat once or twice.
3. Raise the oven temperature to 400 F, then cook duck an additional 10-15 minutes, just to crisp the skin.
4. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Italian Sausage and Rice Stuffing

• ½ lb Italian sausage meat
• 2 cups water/broth
• 1 cup rice
• 2 scallion stalks, finely chopped

1. Sauté sausage meat, stirring to break up lumps, until the meat loses its raw look.
2. Drain the sausage mixture, if necessary, and return it to the saucepan. 
3. Add two cups of water/broth and rice. Stir well and bring to a boil.
4. Cover slightly and turn the heat to medium. Cook for 7 minutes.
5. Cover tightly and turn the heat to low. Cook for another 8 minutes.
6. Turn the heat off and let sit for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
7. Stir in the chopped scallion.

Steamed Mussels

I made up this recipe based on different mussel recipes I’ve seen. Mussels are so easy, and I like that this is really light with a bit of a Southeast Asian influence.

• 2 pounds mussels, cleaned
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 16 oz clam juice
• 2 lemongrass stalks, thinly sliced
• 2 fresh red chilies, finely sliced
• Generous pinch of saffron
• Freshly squeezed juice from one lime
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper
• Cooked rice or rice noodles

1. Heat vegetable oil in a large pot; stir in the shallot and garlic. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the clam juice, lemongrass, red chilies, and saffron. Toss the mussels in the broth. Cover the pot with its lid and cook until all the mussels have opened, about 6 to 10 minutes. If any mussels do not open, discard them.
3. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the freshly squeezed lime juice. Season the broth to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Serve with cooked rice or rice noodles.