Braised duck legs with soy sauce, ginger and star anise

prep time:: 10 null
total time:: 2 hr

Makes 8 servings

Once a year I cook duck. I invite only very good friends who really love duck. I cook up 4 or more ducks using every part of the bird. Here is a good recipe for the legs, which always benefit from a long, slow, braise

ingredients

8 duck legs
4 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
2 1/2 inches of ginger, peeled and julienned
5 cloves garlice sliced
1 cup chicken stock
5 tablespoons sake
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup light soy sauce
4 star anise
1/2 bunch green onions
2 red chilies, deseeded

directions

1
Preheat oven to 350
2
Trim fat from duck legs and score skin.
3
Brown in a frying pan with no oil until golden. Place in a braising dish with a heavy lid. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with five spice powder.
4
Pour off excess duck fat (always save this stuff, it is gold when you cook without butter) add garlic and ginger and saute for 2 minutes. Add all the liquids and the star anise and bring to a low boil and simmer for five minutes.
5
Pour ginger liquid around duck legs so that they peak out above the liquid like little aligators in a swamp. Cover and place in oven for 1 hour.
6
Transfer chicken to a large baking sheet and turn oven temperature up to 425 for 15 minutes to crisp the skin (or briefly under the broiler)
7
reduce braising liquid to a dark syrup. Serve duck legs garnished with thin strips of green onion and chili. Spoon thickened sauce around duck.