Roasted Duck Legs and Mandarin Glaze, Butternut Squash Puree, Sautee Spinach

Chef Fiorella Butron brings the influence of her world travels to her classical Cordon Bleu training. From Latin America to Europe, Hawaii to South East Asia, tastes of the globe inspire her regenerative cuisine. Fiorella’s restaurant, Allikai, is based in Sonoma and treats guests to a feast for the senses and the soul. This guest chef recipe pairs well with our Cabernet Sauvignon.


Duck Ingredients

  • 4 duck legs
  • Sea Salt
  • Five-spice powder
  • Black Pepper
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • Rosemary and thyme sprig
  • 1 bay leaf

Mandarin Glaze Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup mandarin juice
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 each star anis
  • 1 each whole clove
  • 5 each all-spice berries
  • 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

Squash Puree Ingredients

  • 1 medium-sized butternut squash, cut in half, lengthwise
  • 1 small onion, small diced
  • 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup of vegetable stock or poultry stock
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Spinach Ingredients

  • 4 cups spinach
  • 1 tablespoon ginger
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

Duck Directions

Preheat the oven to 325º F.

Season the duck legs generously with salt and all-spice powder. Place avocado oil in a cast iron pan over medium-high heat and sear the duck legs skin side down until golden brown. Then, sear the other side. Deglaze with red wine and stock, add bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary, and cook in the oven for 1.5 hours or until tender; if you use a knife or a fork to test it, it should go through with ease.

Mandarin Glaze Directions

Place all the ingredients in a small pot over low to medium heat. Reduce until you get a glaze consistency; it should coat the back of the spoon. Strain and reserve.

Butternut Squash Puree Directions

Place butternut squash skin on a baking sheet with parchment paper and season with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Roast in the same oven as the duck until tender, around 30 to 45 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes. In a small sauté pan over low heat with a drizzle of olive oil, sweat the onions and garlic until translucent and soft, add cayenne pepper, cook for a couple of minutes and reserve. Scoop the butternut squash meat and place in a blender with the stock, add the cooked allium mix and blend until smooth, slowly adding olive oil to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve.

Spinach Directions

Add a drizzle of olive oil, garlic and ginger in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook until golden. Add the spinach and remove it from the heat as soon as it wilts. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve.

To Plate

Gently brush the duck skin with the mandarin glaze and finish with sea salt.

The spinach can be used as the base. Place the duck legs on top so all the juices can drip into the spinach. Add a dollop of puree on the side or you can have it as a shared dish. Finish with more glaze around the duck. You can always add some orange or mandarin segments. Enjoy.