Duck with sweet and sour pineapple

This is quite a cheffy dish loaded with textures and flavours. You will need the palm sugar for the caramel or it will be too sweet.

Prepare ahead • Ready in 1 hr 15 mins, plus 4 hrs chilling • Serves 4

200ml soy sauce

250ml chicken stock

150g soft brown sugar

2 star anise

4 duck legs

200g black rice

3tbsp coconut cream for the pineapple caramel

120g palm sugar

2 red chillies, sliced into thin strips juice of 2 limes

1tbsp Thai fish sauce

1 pineapple, peeled and sliced

1 Put the soy, stock, sugar and star anise into a large sauté pan, big enough to fit the duck. Simmer until the sugar has dissolved then put the duck in; it needs to be submerged in the liquid, so pop on a slightly smaller pan lid to weight it down. Simmer for 40 mins. Remove from the stock to cool, then place uncovered in the fridge for at least 4 hrs or overnight. 2 Heat the oven to 200C, gas 6. Put the duck into a shallow tin and roast for about 20 mins or until the skin has browned and is crispy. Meanwhile, prepare the rice and caramel. You can do this the day before then just reheat to serve. Put the rice in a pan with 500ml cold water. Bring to the boil then simmer, uncovered, until tender and most of the water has evaporated – about 25 mins. Drain then stir in the coconut cream.

3 Put the palm sugar into a small pan and add 100ml cold water. Gently heat until the sugar has dissolved, then bubble for 10 mins until it begins to caramelise. Add the chillies, lime juice, fish sauce and pineapple slices. Serve the duck over rice with the pineapple and sauce spooned over. Per serving: 882 calories, 38g fat

(12g saturated), 69g carbohydrate >>