Slow-Cooked Duck, Plum and Orange Sauce & Jasmine Sticky Rice

This is one of my favourite ways of eating a duck. Super tender meat with the zesty flavorful sauce. Quick in preparation for every fan of slow cooking.

Serves: 2

Slow cooking time: 3h

Preparation time: 50 minutes

Ingredients for the duck:

• 2 duck legs with skin on, trimmed from excessive fat

• 700ml (0.74 quarts) of stock (vegetable or poultry)

• 1 medium carrot diced

• 1 medium onion diced

• 50g (1.8oz) celery diced

• 50g (1.8oz) leek diced

• 5 garlic cloves sliced

• 10 black peppercorns

• 5 Juniper berries

• a handful of chopped rosemery

• a handful of chopped thyme

Ingredients for sauce:

• 2 plums, seed removed and cut into wedges

• 1 apricot, seed removed and cut into wedges

• 1 shallot finely chopped

• 3 orange slices

• 2 star anise

• 40 (1.4oz) grams of brown sugar

• 2tbsp mirin

• 2tbsp red wine vinegar

• 300ml (0.3 quarts) of thick beef stock (you can use gravy)

• 1tbsp olive oil

Other ingredients:

• 150g (5.3oz) Jasmine rice

• 1tbsp Nigella seeds

Method:

1. Begin by pan-frying duck legs to colour on both sides. When ready place in the slow-cooker dish and pan-fry vegetables to brown. Add to the slow-cooker followed by the stock, herbs and spices. Cook on high setting for three hours (make sure duck legs are submerged in the liquid).

2. In the meantime prepare the sauce, saute shallots with 1tbsp of olive oil for 5 minutes. Next, add brown sugar add plums with apricots. Wait until sugar dissolves then add the beef stock with mirin, vinegar, star anise and orange slices. Cook on medium-low heat for around 15 minutes. When ready place aside (you can heat up later).

3. When your duck is almost done, cook washed Jasmine rice in salty water for about 12 minutes. Cover a small bowl with the cling film and fill up with rice, then turn upside down on the plate while holding it on the top of the bowl.

4. Dust with nigella seeds, serve with slow-cooked duck and the sauce.

Insight:

• If you do not have a slow-cooker you can use a dish in the oven set for 120C (250F) or simmer on the stove on low heat.