DELICIOUS DUCK

BRAISED DUCK SALAD WITH POMEGRANATE, JUNIPER AND GINGER

INGREDIENTS: (Serves 6)

5 celery sticks, finely diced; 1 large red onion, finely chopped; 6 garlic cloves, crushed;

6cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped;

2tsp juniper berries; juice and finely grated zest of 1 orange; a glug of vegetable oil; 2tsp za’atar; 4 duck legs, skin on; 1 large pomegranate; 1 bunch of spring onions, finely sliced on the diagonal; salt and pepper to season For the dressing: Juice of ½ lemon; 2tbsp pomegranate molasses; 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil

METHOD:

1. Heat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4.

2. Put the celery, onion, garlic and ginger in a shallow casserole dish. Bash the juniper berries lightly and add them to the casserole. Add the orange juice and zest and drizzle with a good glug of vegetable oil. Mix and spread it out as a bed for the duck legs.

3. Rub the za’atar over the duck legs and place in the casserole. Season well with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and cook, uncovered, for roughly 90 mins, depending on the size of your duck legs. The duck is done when the flesh easily pulls away from the bone with the touch of a fork.

4. Meanwhile, remove the seeds from the pomegranate by scoring the skin into quarters. Submerge the fruit in a bowl of cold water and, gently pull apart the quarters and ease out the seeds with your fingers. The seeds sink. Everything else floats, so discard it with the water Dry the seeds on kitchen paper.

5. Remove the duck from the oven. Pour off the fat from the vegetables. Allow to cool for a few minutes so removing the meat from the bones is easier.

6. Shred the duck and skin and tip into a bowl. Tumble together with the roasted vegetables and then turn out onto a serving platter.

7. For the dressing: Combine the lemon juice, pomegranate molasses and olive oil.

8. Serve before the duck cools completely: Drizzle the dressing all over, then top with the pomegranate seeds and sliced spring onions.