Tummy Warmers

Coconut Milk Confit Duck Legs With Yellow Curry

The recipe is adapted from chef Adam d'Sylva's Yellow Duck Curry number he serves at his Melbourne restaurant Tonka. Since I was making it gluten- and wheat-free I've changed the ingredients up a little bit but the result was super tasty. You can get duck Marylands from many butchers and supermarkets.

{ Ingredients }

Main

8 raw duck legs (Marylands)

500ml gluten free soy sauce

2 tablespoons raw sugar

1 tablespoon white peppercorns, crushed

1 orange, peel only

8 kaffir lime leaves, crushed

For the duck braise

2 x 440ml cans coconut milk

1 red long chilli split in half

4 kaffir lime leaves

1 lemongrass stalk crushed 4

cm knob fresh ginger chopped

For the yellow curry sauce

1/3 cup yellow curry paste

1 x 270ml can coconut milk

1 teaspoon tamarind paste (optional)

1 tablespoon fish sauce

To serve

2 cups Jasmine rice, cooked 1 bunch Thai basil leaves

First, to "French" the duck legs using a sharp knife in one smooth hacking motion, chop off the end 2cm of the bone on the drumstick and discard. Place duck legs in a large dish or bowl big enough to hold the duck and the marinade. Mix together the remaining Main ingredients until the sugar has dissolved and pour over the duck legs. Rub the marinade and spices into the legs then cover and refrigerate for 24 hours (mixing and turning the legs over 3-4 times over that period). Preheat oven to 150ºC. Transfer the duck legs into a large baking dish. Mix all Braise ingredients in a big bowl and add the orange rind and 1/2 cup of the marinade liquid, mix to combine. Pour the Braise liquid over the duck legs and bake, uncovered for 1.5 - 2 hours, until the skin is golden grown and meat tender. Meanwhile, prepare the curry sauce by heating the paste in a small saucepan until fragrant before adding the coconut milk, tamarind (if using) and fish sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Set aside. Cook rice according to packet instructions. To serve, transfer the duck legs into a serving dish and pour over the curry sauce. Sprinkle the dish generously with Thai basil. Serve with rice.

+ Serves 4-8 + Prep: 15 min. Cook: 2 hr. Passive time: 24 hr.

Swedish Meatballs with Dill Sauce

These IKEA-inspired meatballs can be made using beef, pork or veal mince, and for a vegetarian version you could try making it with a range of plant-based "mince" substitutes available nowadays. They are a little tender to handle when frying because they don't contain egg or bread soaked in water to bind them, so be gentle when turning them.

{ Ingredients }

500g beef or veal mince (see note above)

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

1/2 small brown onion

2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, leaves only

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

Creamy dill gravy

100 g button mushrooms sliced finely

3/4 cup beef stock

1/2 cup fresh cream

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes

3 tablespoons chopped dill

2 tablespoons filtered water

1.5 tablespoons arrowroot (tapioca) flour

Buckwheat

1 cup raw buckwheat or activated buckwheat (buckinis)

1.5 cups water

Place beef and salt in a large bowl. Peel and finely dice onion, finely chop parsley leaves. Add them to the mince. Using your hands, knead the mixture until well combined. Divide into 20 bite-sized meatballs. Heat oil in a large frying pan set over medium–high heat. Add meatballs and fry for 2 minutes on one side before reducing the heat to medium and turning meatballs to brown on the other side. Add mushrooms and cook for a further minute, before adding stock, cream, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Mix water with arrowroot and stir through the sauce to thicken. Turn off heat and stir through dill. Meanwhile, place buckwheat in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10–15 minutes, or until buckwheat is soft but not mushy. Turn off heat and drain any excess water.

To serve: Divide buckwheat between serving bowls and top with meatballs and sauce.

Note: You can add 1 egg and 2 slices of gluten free bread soaked in 1/2 cup of water to the mince mixture. For a more robust Scandinavian flavour, add 1 tablespoon horseradish.

+ Serves 4 + Prep: 15 min. Cook: 15 min.

Cabbage, Bean, & Crispy Kale Soup

The following recipe is vegan, but please feel free to use good quality (organic) chicken stock and cultured butter if you wish. Hard boiled eggs or shredded chicken go very well in this soup as well. Add extra stock if you'd like more broth. I used fresh bay leaves.

{ Ingredients }

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or butter

1/4 medium green cabbage shredded

1 leek white part only, sliced

4-5 cups vegetable stock

1 x (440g) can butter beans, drained

4 whole kale leaves

2 fresh bay leaves or 4 dried

4 tsp olive oil or butter

4 slices gluten free bread

Heat 1 tablespoon oil or butter in a large stock pot over medium heat for a minute. Add shredded cabbage and leeks. Cook, stirring, for 8 minutes or until the cabbage has wilted and reduced volume by half. Add stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the cabbage has softened. Meanwhile, wash kale under cold running water, shake off excess water. Remove stems. Chop leaves across into 1cm wide ribbons. Heat 2 teaspoons oil or butter in a medium fry pan over medium heat. Add kale and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or wilted and becoming crisp. Turn off the heat and leave until serving. Add canned beans to the soup and simmer for another 5 minutes. Dice bread into small squares. Heat remaining oil in another fry pan over medium high heat. Add bread squares and cook, stirring, until the croutons are lightly browned and crisp. To serve, divide soup between serving bowls. Top with crispy kale and serve croutons on the side. Pop a few croutons into the soup at a time so that they can retain their crunch in every bite.

+ Serves 12 + Prep: 10 min. Cook: 30 min.

Recipes/Photography Martyna Angell www.wholesome-cook.com