A fantastic, Chinese-inspired dish that can be made in advance and frozen, so you've got something delicious and exotic in the freezer for those unexpected dinner guests!
Ingredients
- 8 ripe plums, stoned and halved
- 1 red pepper, cut into strips
- 2 red onions, cut into wedges
- 6 duck legs
- 2.5cm piece fresh ginger, grated
- 2 large red chillies, finely chopped
- 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 12 tbsp olive oil
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 250ml chicken stock
- 120g plum sauce (we like Blue Dragon Sticky Plum Stir-fry Sauce, from Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose)
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan140°C/gas 3. Place the plums, red pepper and onion wedges in the base of a roasting tin or large casserole.
- 2. Slash the skin of the duck legs and place in a large bowl. Add the ginger, chillies, five-spice and olive oil. Season and rub well into the skin.
- 3. Lay the duck legs on top of the plums and veg, and add the star anise and cinnamon to the tin or casserole. Pour in the stock and plum sauce.
- 4. Cover with a lid or foil and bring to the boil on the hob, then roast in the oven for 1½ hours. Uncover and submerge the duck legs in the sauce.Roast for a further 30 minutes-1 hour, until the duck legs are really tender.
- 5. Remove the duck legs and set aside. Discard the star anise and cinnamon and skim off the fat. Bring the sauce to the boil on the hob and reduce for 15 minutes, until thick. Return the duck to the pan.
- 6. Serve immediately or cool and freeze in a plastic container for up to 3 months. Defrost for 8 hours, or overnight in the fridge, and reheat in the oven, at 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4, for about 30 minutes, or until piping hot.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 433kcals, 29.2g fat (5.3g saturated), 22.6g protein, 21.7g carbs, 17.8g sugar, 1.3g salt
Wine Recommendation
Duck legs in a ginger and plum sauce: a red is needed here, more specifically a fruity, juicy, red-berry style. Pinot Noir is perfect; pick one from Chile.