Duck Fesenjan

Ingredients

• 8 legs duck
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup water, or as needed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, or more to taste
• 2 cups diced yellow onion
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 6 cups chicken broth, or more as needed
• 2/3 cup pomegranate molasses
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 cups walnut halves

Directions

Season duck legs all over with salt and black pepper.

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.

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.

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.

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

Grind walnuts to a fine powder in a food processor.

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.

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