Confit duck sausage rolls

Sausage rolls are a staple of parties around the country and these duck sausage rolls will sit fantastically on the elevenses menu of any shoot. The confit preparation of duck legs is not a new thing. It’s something that was done historically to ensure the usage of the whole bird and to preserve the legs for another time if they were not to be used straightaway. They can be stored in jars sealed in with a good layer of fat for up to four weeks. We all love duck so what better way for us than to confit them so they can be used at any time of the year?

Confit duck sausage rolls

Ingredients

• 1 star anise
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 orange
• 100g granulated sugar
• 100g Maldon salt
• 1kg duck legs
• 500g duck fat, or enough to cover legs when melted in a saucepan (if you are going to use a sous vide cooker, use 2 large tBsp of fat and split legs between 2 bags)
• 300g Cumberland sausage meat
• 30g Pine nuts
• 30g Pistachio nuts
• 2dsp chives chopped
• 2 x 320g pre-rolled puff pastry
• 1 egg
• Mustard or ketchup to serve

Method

1. Place the star anise in a pestle and mortar and pound to a powder, or place in a bag and pound with a pan. Zest the lemon and orange into a bowl, add the star anise, the sugar and Maldon salt, then mix well.
2. Rub the salt and sugar mix into the duck legs, then lay them on to a tray. Spread the rest of the mix over the legs. Leave them to rest and brine for 30 minutes, then wash off the salt mix and dry them. Heat the duck fat in a saucepan until melted and hot.
3. Heat the oven to 130°C. Place the legs into an ovenproof dish, pour over the hot duck fat to cover them. Place in the oven and allow to cook for one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half hours or until the duck is cooked and falling off the bone. If using a sous vide cooker, vacuum-pack the legs in two bags with a good tablespoon of duck fat in each and cook at 78°C overnight.
4. While the duck legs are hot, carefully remove and discard the skin and pull the meat off the bone. Allow the duck meat to cool to room temperature, then place in a bowl with the sausage meat, nuts and herbs. Mix together well and place in a piping bag.
5. Lay out the pastry and pipe the meat mix along one edge (the thickness depends on how many rolls are being made). Beat the egg. Roll the pastry tightly around the meat. Before overlapping, brush with egg wash to create a seal. Trim the pastry and leave the overlap on the bottom of the roll, to prevent them opening when cooking.
6. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Remove from the fridge, cut into required size and brush with egg wash. Space them out on a greased baking tray. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Serve with mustard or ketchup.