Duck Delicious Duck!

I love love love eating duck. Yes it is not the healthiest of meats but it is truly delicious and is such a warming treat that it can't be too wrong. I'm in an office surrounded by very healthy, low fat, Dukan dieting girls and I am truly jealous of their ability to resist the temptations of beautiful crisp duck fat, if only I could. Last night I made a "spare" duck leg incase the Scot came home and in the end just ate the skin and fat off it as well as my own. Terrible gluttony but each time I looked at it I couldn't resist, it was just sat there, tempting me.

Anyway I thought I would share my recipe for a cheat's confit-tasting duck with Szechuan pepper and lime, truly tasty I think.

For 4 - takes just over an hour

Ingredients:
4 duck legs
tablespoon of Szechuan peppercorns
plenty of Rock Salt (very important it isn't sea salt)
Fresh Rosemary sprig
1 garlic clove
pinch chilli flakes
1 tsp grated lime zest

For the sauce:
500ml chicken stock
2 limes, juice and zest
2 chopped and seeded chilli
ground szechuan pepper
1 tbsp pommergranate seeds
50g butter
2 large fresh sage leaves

Instructions:

Pre heat oven to 190 degrees C / Gas mark 5

1. Get the Salt, Szechuan Pepper, rosemary, garlic, chilli flakes and lime zest and bash them all together in a pestle and mortar. Rub this into the flesh side of the duck leg and sprinkle over the skin.

2. Get frying pan with a little Olive Oil to a high heat and sear the duck legs. 2 minutes on the fleshy side and 2 minutes on the skin. Push then leg around so all the skin gets lightly seared. Remove from the pan and then place, skin side up, on a wire rack in a roasting tray. Tip: I just use the grill tray and put foil underneath as it then is so much easier to clean..

3. Put legs in the oven for about 40 minutes. Just check to see how the skin is crisping up. For the last 15 minutes or so I just put the heat up to 220 degrees/ Gas Mark 7. You'll know it is done when the skin is lovely and golden crisp.

4. As you turn the heat up start making the sauce. Chop the chilli and flash fry with the szechuan pepper. Then add the chicken stock and simmer for about 10 minutes until reduced slightly (lose around 1/2 liquid. Then add the lime juice and zest and stir in. After than add the butter in little chunks and stir in with a whisk. Tear up the sage and add, turn down the heat to a slow simmer until your duck is ready. At the last moment stir in the pommergranate for a bit of oomph.

Then just pop the duck on the plate and drizzle the sauce over. Last night I found this went really well with sticky rice, just remember to soak the glutinous rice in advance and start to steam it for 20 minutes just before you make the sauce.

Enjoy!