Spiced Red Wine-braised Duck Legs (gf)

I love this combination of meltingly tender duck with aromatic spices and the sweet-sour flavour of pomegranate molasses.

4 whole duck legs (see Cook’s note)

sea salt and ground pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 onions, sliced 1 large carrot, peeled, sliced 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 bay leaves 3 long sprigs thyme leaves

2 tablespoons each pomegranate molasses and tomato paste

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon each ground cumin and ground turmeric

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon long strips orange peel juice 1 orange 16 dried apricots

1 cup each red wine and beef stock

Season the duck legs all over with salt. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over a low heat and cook the duck legs skin-side down for about 10 minutes until golden. Transfer to a plate.

Pour off the excess fat, leaving 2 tablespoons in the pan. Add the onions, carrot, garlic, bay leaves and thyme with a good pinch of salt and cook for 10 minutes.

Stir in the pomegranate molasses, tomato paste, smoked paprika, all the spices, orange peel and the juice and cook for 2 minutes. Add the apricots, wine and the stock and bring to the boil.

Tip into a large ovenproof baking dish and nestle in the duck legs, skin-side up. Don’t completely submerge the duck legs.

Cook, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until the duck is very tender. Scatter over extra thyme sprigs to garnish if desired.

You can use whole chicken legs (thigh and drumstick) in place of the duck. The cooking time will be shorter.

Ripple Carafe and wine glasses, A&C Homestore