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Meat, South and mountains

Duck with olives and mashed potatoes

Duck with olives and mashed potatoes is a braised dish of duck legs cooked in white wine with green olives, served with homemade mashed potatoes. It takes 90 minutes, rated easy, at €4.30 per serving. The key to success is browning the skin well at the start and adding the olives only in the last twenty minutes so they don't turn bitter.

Duck legs braised in white wine with green olives, served with creamy homemade mashed potatoes.

Duck with olives and mashed potatoes
Total time
1 h 30
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€4.30
Calories per person
670 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter

Duck with olives is the kind of braise that fills the kitchen with a rich smell all afternoon and asks very little of you in return. The skin browns and renders its fat, the meat turns tender as it braises, and the green olives bring a salty, tangy bite that wakes up the white wine sauce. Creamy homemade mashed potatoes soak up every drop.

It's a Sunday dish, or something you make on a dark autumn evening when you want comfort without complication. It takes patience on the stove but needs almost no attention once the lid is on. Great for having people over without stress, though the bold olive flavor makes it less of a hit with young kids.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Duck legs 4

Pantry

  • Pitted green olivesoften in the pantry 150 g
  • Dry white wineoften in the pantry 20 cl
  • Chicken stock 20 cl
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 2
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Potatoes 1 kg
  • Thyme 3 sprigs

Dairy

  • Milk 15 cl
  • Butter 50 g

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the duck legs skin side down in a Dutch oven, with no added fat. 12 min

    Remove the fat from the pot, keeping about a tablespoon.

  2. Cook the onions and garlic, deglaze with white wine, then add the stock and thyme. 5 min

    Let the wine reduce well before moving on.

  3. Return the duck to the pot, cover, and braise over low heat, then stir in the olives. 1 h

    Add the olives in the last twenty minutes, they turn bitter if overcooked.

  4. Boil the peeled potatoes in salted water. 20 min

    Poke them with a knife, it should slide in with no resistance.

  5. Mash with the hot milk and butter, and serve with the duck and its sauce.

    Use hot milk and soft butter, never cold.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick good quality pitted green olives, they carry the whole sauce, a bland olive makes for a bland dish.
  • Hold back on salt in the stock and sauce until the end, the olives are already salty and can throw off the balance fast.
  • If your pot doesn't seal tightly, add a splash of stock partway through so the bottom doesn't catch.

The variations

  • Swap the green olives for black olives for a milder, less tangy sauce.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the duck with whole button mushrooms and fork tender potatoes braised in the same sauce.
  • For a faster version, use boneless duck thighs and cut the braising time down to 35 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of dry white wine
  • A well dressed green salad
  • Crusty bread for the sauce

Storage

Duck with olives keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well for up to 2 months, without the mashed potatoes. Reheat the meat and sauce gently in a skillet or pot, adding a splash of water if needed.

Questions about this dish

Can you make duck with olives ahead of time?

Yes, it actually tastes better the next day. The sauce thickens and the flavors blend together, you just need to reheat it gently before serving.

Which olives work best for this recipe?

Pitted green olives that are fairly firm and hold up well during braising. Skip stuffed or overly salty olives, they throw off the sauce.

Can you use something other than duck legs?

Boneless chicken thighs work well, with braising time cut to about 35 minutes. The flavor will be milder but the method stays the same.

Should you remove the duck fat after browning?

Yes, keep about a tablespoon to cook the onions, the rest isn't needed in the sauce. This keeps the dish from turning greasy and the sauce light.

How long does it take to make a braised duck with olives and homemade mashed potatoes?

Count 1 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a braised duck with olives and homemade mashed potatoes?

About 670 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a braised duck with olives and homemade mashed potatoes cost?

About €4.30 per serving, or €17.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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