Duck, Date, And Rutabaga Pot Pie

Beneath a duck-fat crust resides winter comfort food at its best

- Jonathan Miles

There is nothing better on a cold wintry day,” the great food writer Craig Claiborne once noted, “than a properly made pot pie.” Properly made, in this case, is with duck legs, dates, rutabaga, and a biscuit crust enriched with duck fat. This restorative meal—the perfect antidote to a cold day in a duck blind—is the creation of Vivian Howard, chef-owner of Chef & the Farmer in Kinston, N.C., and author of Deep Run Roots, from which this recipe is adapted. If you’re short on duck fat, sub in lard. This recipe would be terrific with goose as well.

1 Make the filling: Season the duck with salt and pepper. In a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium-low heat. Brown the duck legs, skin side down, for about 7–10 minutes. When they’re nicely browned, flip them over and do the same on the flesh side. Take the duck legs out and set them aside.