Lame duck

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 legs, duck legs approx. 300 g each
• 200 ml honey
• 3 large apples, pitted, quartered
• 200 g celery, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 300 g onion(s), chopped
• 5 garlic, sliced
• 1 sprig(s) rosemary
• 3 peppers, pitted and cut into pieces
• 5 juniper berries
• 5 carnations
• some ginger, fresh
• 3 tbsp ginger, candied
• 1 liter vegetable broth
• 1 lemon(s), the juice
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 25 minutes

Preheat the oven to 130°C (265°F). Season the duck legs generously with salt and pepper and place them in a roasting pan. They should be tightly packed, so don’t use a roasting pan that’s too large. Drizzle with honey and lemon juice, then add the remaining ingredients and spices one at a time. Carefully pour vegetable stock into the roasting pan, just enough to cover all ingredients. Cover. Braise in the oven for 3.5 to 4 hours. Let the roasting pan cool, remove the duck legs, and pour the rest through a sieve. Drain the vegetables and place them in an ovenproof casserole dish. Carefully separate the fat from the meat juices. Bring the meat juices to a boil in a saucepan and thicken with cornstarch. Then place the duck legs on top of the vegetables, add the gravy, and bake in the oven at 200°C (400°F) for about 15 minutes until crispy. Serve with potato dumplings. (This dish takes some time to cook, hence the name “Lame Duck”)