Duck Tagine

, from Issue #31. September, 2015
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Duck Tagine

A beautiful duck tagine recipe. Served with vegetables and couscous this flavourful dinner is to die for.

 

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

4 duck legs – thigh and drumstick

Chermoula paste
1 small onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons each ground paprika and cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
zest and juice 1 lemon
¼ cup each tightly packed coriander and flat-leaf parsley, stalks and leaves, roughly chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

To cook
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons honey
2 cups chicken stock
4 medium carrots, peeled, cut into thick batons
1 cup large green olives

To finish
½ cup skin-on almonds, roasted and roughly chopped
¼ cup mint

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180˚C.

Chermoula: Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process to a paste. Season.

Pat the duck dry with kitchen towels and season all over. Heat a large ovenproof casserole dish over a medium heat and sauté the duck, skin side down until a good golden colour. Transfer the duck to a plate. Drain off the fat, leaving 2 tablespoons in the pan. Reserve the excess duck fat.

Add the chermoula paste and cook gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomato paste and honey and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the stock, then the duck with any resting juices, turning to coat in the sauce. Have the duck skin side up in the pan. Nestle the carrots and olives in the sauce.

Place a piece of crumpled baking paper over the meat then cover tightly with a lid. Braise for 1 hour, stirring once during cooking.

To serve: Transfer the duck and sauce to a serving dish and surround with the carrots and olives. Scatter with the almonds and mint. Serve with Pumpkin Couscous with Date and Pomegranate Chutney.