Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Place the duck legs in a large ovenproof skillet, skin side down, and slowly brown over medium heat for about 20 minutes, without turning them over. Season with salt and pepper.
After 20 minutes of cooking, turn them over and brown them for 3 minutes on the other side. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.
Drain two-thirds of the duck fat and set aside for later. Brown the leeks, carrots and garlic in the pan over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring.
Return the duck legs to the skillet and add the port. Bring to a boil; as soon as it boils, put the skillet in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 180°C (350°F) and continue cooking another 60 minutes.
Take the skillet out of the oven and let stand for 10 minutes, covered loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil.
Serve the duck legs and vegetables with a warm potato salad or long flat pasta.
Recipe developed by Nicolas Vallée, professional chef
