Duck Fesenjan

A savory stew featuring duck, pomegranate, and walnuts, which is every bit as exotic as it sounds. This is my interpretation of the ancient classic. I'm assuming like most similar recipes, every household has their own version, and this kind of thing can easily be tailored to your tastes.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 3 hr
• Total Time: 3 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 668 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¼ cup water, or as needed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, or more to taste
• 6 cups chicken broth, or more as needed
• 8 legs duck
• 2 cups diced yellow onion
• ⅔ cup pomegranate molasses
• 3 cups walnut halves

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Season duck legs all over with salt and black pepper.

Step 2

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Place duck legs, skin-side down, in hot oil and cook until browned, 2 to 5 minutes; turn and cook until browned on the other side, 2 to 4 minutes more. Transfer legs to a plate; pour rendered duck fat into a bowl.

Step 3

Pour water into the skillet and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat.

Step 4

Heat about 2 tablespoons duck fat and olive oil in Dutch oven medium heat. Cook and stir onion in hot oil and fat until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Add turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg; cook and stir until fragrant, 1 minute.

Step 5

Pour chicken broth, pomegranate molasses, honey, and reserved water mixture from the skillet into onions; bring to a simmer.

Step 6

Grind walnuts to a fine powder in a food processor.

Step 7

Cook and stir walnuts in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir walnuts into broth mixture; place duck legs in broth to cover in broth. Reduce heat and simmer until duck legs are tender, 3 to 4 hours. Transfer duck to a serving dish.

Step 8

Bring broth mixture to a boil; cook until reduced and desired sauce consistency is reached. Season with salt. Ladle sauce over duck legs.