Duck Confit Pasta with Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Marsala Mushrooms and Cherry Tomatoes

I have circled back to make this dish again. And then made it AGAIN, just to be sure it is "blog worthy."  It's a recipe I can't let go of, even though I have had mixed results with it.  The first time it was fantastic.  So, I served it to guests and it bombed.  Perhaps the hostess was distracted?  So, this winter I have adapted it to the way I like to cook at home versus the way a restaurant chef would do it.   

In addition, I added more mushrooms and sauteed them in sweet Marsala and French thyme to add more flavor. And used less duck, which can be too rich and fatty.  A little goes a long way.  

Duck legs confit are available from D'Artangnon. We can get them at Wegman's or they can be ordered online at D'Artagnan.com.  They last a long time in the refrigerator, so you can buy them when you see them.  
---Barbara

Duck Confit Pasta with Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Marsala Mushrooms and Cherry Tomatoes
(adapted from Chef Jimmy Rogova )

Serves 4

2 duck confit legs, warmed then meat removed, bones discarded
about 40 Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved
olive oil
salt and pepper
8 ounces of sliced mushrooms, white or brown
4 ounces of sliced wild mushrooms
1 t. dried French thyme
2 T.  sweet Marsala wine
2 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
1 cup chicken stock
1 pint very ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
16 ounces bucatini pasta
1 T. salt for the pasta water

For the sprouts:

Prepare the Brussels sprouts.  Wash and remove the outer leaves, cut in half. Toss the Brussels sprouts with olive oil. Place them "faces" down,  in a single layer,  This can be done several hours in advance.

For the tomatoes:

Use very ripe cherry tomatoes.  Cut them in half and sprinkle with salt. Set aside.  This can be done in advance.

For the garlic sauce:

Remove the paper from 6 large whole cloves, the ends and smash them with the flat side of the knife.  Set aside.  Get the 2 T. of butter ready to go, too.  Set aside.

For the mushrooms:

In a large deep skillet with a lid on low heat, add some olive oil and all of the sliced mushrooms to the pan and a pinch of salt, cover with the lid and let them wilt for about 5 minutes.  There will be liquid in the pan when you open it.   Add the dried thyme, and sweet Marsala wine.  Cover and cook for a few more minutes.  Then, remove the lid and cook until most of the liquid evaporates.  This will concentrate the flavors.  Remove the mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.  This can be done in advance.

For the duck:

Warm the duck and pull meat off the bones.  Discard bones.

You can put the duck in the skillet and cover it and put the pan on extremely low for a few minutes, until the meat is warm enough to pull off the bone.  You could also do this in foil in the oven or toaster oven.  It doesn't take long until the meat comes off.  On a cutting board, run a knife along the bone of the legs, and the meat will come off, then you can chop it into pieces.  Set aside the meat.  This can be done in advance.

About 45 minutes before serving, get the water for pasta going on the back burner.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

30 minutes before serving:

Add a generous amount of salt and pepper to the Brussels sprouts and roast to caramelize (about 25 minutes).

Simultaneously, in the skillet where you have cooked the mushrooms, add 1 T. olive oil, and 2 T. butter on low heat, and gently cook the 6 whole garlic cloves until soft.  Do not let them burn.

With 20 minutes to go, make sure your water is boiling.   Add 1 T. salt and cook the bucatini, per the directions on the package to al dente.  9 minutes.

Coordinate your timing so you can drain the pasta and add it to the sauce you are about to create.

The garlic should be softening in the butter and olive oil in the pan.  Now add the 1 cup of chicken stock, turn up the heat and let it reduce.  Deglaze the pan with the chicken stock.  Which means you scrape up all of the browned bits from the olive oil and garlic.

Drain the pasta.

Add it to the reduced sauce in the big skillet and stir to coat all of the pasta.

Add the mushrooms and tomatoes and stir.

Remove the roasted Brussels sprouts from the oven. 

To the pasta, add roasted Brussels sprouts and shredded duck.

Toss everything together, so all of the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are mixed together evenly.

Serve.