Spiced Citrus Duck Confit with Saffron-Infused Couscous

Instructions

1. 1

   Zest and juice the orange and lemon. In a bowl, combine orange juice, lemon juice, crushed garlic cloves, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, coriander seeds, star anise, and black peppercorns. Add the duck legs and ensure they are fully submerged in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, or up to 48 hours.

   ~15 min
2. 2

   Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Remove duck legs from marinade, reserving the marinade. Pat the duck legs very dry with paper towels. Place duck legs in a baking dish, skin-side up. Pour duck fat over the duck legs, ensuring they are mostly covered. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.

   ~10 min
3. 3

   Confit the duck legs in the preheated oven for 3 hours, or until the meat is extremely tender and easily pulls away from the bone. Remove from oven and let cool slightly in the fat. This can be done up to a week in advance; store duck legs submerged in fat in the refrigerator.

   ~180 min
4. 4

   When ready to serve, remove duck legs from the fat. Strain the duck fat through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container for future use. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Place duck legs skin-side down in the hot pan and sear for 5-7 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Flip and sear the other side for 1-2 minutes.

   ~10 min
5. 5

   While the duck is searing, prepare the couscous. In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable broth and saffron threads to a simmer. Add the couscous and lemon zest. Stir well, cover the saucepan, and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

   ~10 min
6. 6

   Season the couscous with salt and black pepper to taste. Divide the saffron-infused couscous among serving plates. Top each plate with a crispy duck leg. Spoon any accumulated juices from the duck searing pan over the duck and couscous.

   ~5 min