Braised Duck Legs with Spiced Barley

Braised Duck Legs with Spiced Barley

If you’re looking for a delicious, aromatic and flavoursome dish made with duck legs to make for dinner, look no further. This simple Braised Duck, Caramelised Shallots with Spiced Barley dish has a tart, sweet flavour with mellow spicing. It’s an ideal meal to serve at this time of year!

I’m all for quick and easy meals during the week but there’s a lot to be said for simply popping something in the oven for an hour or two to gently braise in its own juices. You do need time and patience of course, which, to my mind makes this the ideal weekend meal to serve up to family or friends. You don’t need to think about making much alongside, the barley is tasty and satisfying. However perhaps a salad would work well.

I’m a fan of the legs because the flesh is wonderfully succulent and the skin is satisfyingly crispy, curiously more so than the breasts. Another plus point is they are an affordable joint. Not only is it easy to make, it works well when you want to feed a crowd. All prepared in advance, to then reheat, not forgetting to crispen the skin of the duck in a frying pan.

This now is the recipe I’ll make whenever I spot duck legs at the butchers. Most of the rest of the ingredients are store cupboard staples, which makes life very easy. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Print Recipe

Braised Duck Legs with Spiced Barley

Course: Dinner

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

• 2 Tbls olive oil
• 4 duck legs
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1½ tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp ground clove
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 150 ml red wine
• 500 ml chicken stock
• 1 small orange juice and zest
• 1 tbsp tomato pure
• 1 Tbls pomegranate molasses
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 dessertsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp roughly chopped parsley leaves
• Pistachios toasted

Spiced Barley

• 160 g pearl barley rinsed
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 tbls olive oil
• ¼ tsp Ground all spice
• ¼ tsp cayenne or Aleppo pepper
• 600 ml vegetable or chicken stock
• 20 g butter
• 6 banana shallots do not peel, cut in half lengthways
• 2 tbls olive oil
• 1 tbls butter

Instructions

• Preheat the oven 150C fan.
• Season the duck legs and place in a cold frying pan, turn the heat to high and fry for 3-4 mins each side to brown and render off the fat. Remove and set aside.
• In a casserole dish add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander and ground clove, stir, wait 30 seconds, then add the tomato puree, wine, pomegranate molasses, stock, orange juice and bay leaf. Season and bring to a simmer.
• Place the duck legs in the casserole pan, skin side up, cover and place in the oven to cook for 1 1/2 hours or until meltingly tender. Turn halfway through cooking time, add a little water if it has reduce too much.
• In the meantime you can prepare the spiced barley: Heat a medium saucepan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add the onion, sauté until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, cayenne and allspice. Next add the rinsed barley, stir and saute for a minute or 2. Add the stock and butter, bring to a simmer and cook for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until al dente. Season to taste and set to one side.
• Now for the duck, remove from the oven and increase the heat to 175Cfan. Transfer the duck legs from the casserole to a plate for now. Reduce the sauce by half, check the seasoning and add the balsamic vinegar. Strain if you’d like smooth sauce (not essential). in a frying pan heat a tablespoon of olive oil with a tablespoon of butter, add the shallots cut side down and cook on medium high for a minute or 2, then pop in the oven for 5-8 minutes. The skin protects the flesh from drying out. In another frying pan heat to high and place the duck legs, skin side down to crisped for several minutes.
• Place the barley on a large serving plate, scatter with pomegranate seeds, chopped pistachios, parsley and the zest of the orange. Add the duck leg and drizzle with the sauce. Serve immediately.

Braised Duck with Spiced Barley 

If you love duck, you may like to try this recipe for Slow cooked Duck Legs with Pickled Blackberries.