Carnitas literally means "little meats" and is a Mexican dish traditionally made with slow-cooked pork. This carnitas recipe created by celebrity chef Justine Schofield uses the soft meat from duck legs for an interesting and enticing twist.
Salsa
Ingredients
1 orange, zested and then orange peeled and segment
1 jalapeno chilli, chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tbs caster sugar
Method
To make the salsa, add orange zest and flesh, jalapeno chilli, lime zest and juice, sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl and stir to combine.
Duck Carnitas
Ingredients
4 duck legs
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp Five Spice
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tbsp white vinegar
2 cup (500ml) chicken stock
8 La Banderita small 6” Flour Tortillas
Pinch of salt
Method
Preheat oven to 170C.
Heat a heavy-based casserole pan to medium heat and add the duck legs skin side down, no oil required but seasoned with salt. Cook for 10 minutes until the fat starts to render. Turnover and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Remove the legs from the pan and drain most of the excess fat.
Add the onion, garlic and spices and cook for a minute until fragrant, then mix in tomato paste, vinegar and stock. Return the duck and cook, uncovered in the oven for 1½-2 hours or until duck meat falls off the bone. Once cooked remove meat from the bones to make pulled duck. Discard bones. Allow the sauce to bubble away to reduce by a further third. Fold 3 tablespoons of the sauce through the duck.
Warm tortillas up in a pan over a medium heat.
Make tacos by adding duck to warm tortillas and top with salsa.
