Quinces are the scent by which you recognize autumn — in the oven, they become soft and honey-like and absorb the duck fat without appearing sweet. The legs cook until the skin is paper-thin and translucent and the meat falls off the bone.
A dish that gets better on its own for two hours and requires nothing from you except occasional basting.
For how many, and what goes with it
Main course for four.
As a side dish, bread is enough to soak up the juices, or mashed potatoes; bread dumplings make it a Sunday roast.
Ingredients
- 4 duck legs, approx. 300 g each
- 2 quinces, unpeeled, quartered and cored
- 2 red onions, in wedges
- 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 5 sprigs thyme
- 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
- 150 ml white wine or poultry stock
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- black pepper
Method
- Score the skin of the duck legs in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife, being careful not to cut into the meat.
- Rub the legs on all sides with sea salt, pepper, and fennel seeds and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 160 °C (top/bottom heat) and place the legs skin-side up in a baking dish.
- Distribute the quince quarters, onion wedges, garlic cloves, and thyme around them and pour the wine into the edge of the dish so the skin stays dry.
- Place the dish in the oven for 90 minutes, spooning the rendered fat over the quinces and onions twice during the process.
- Mix the honey and apple cider vinegar, brush the quinces with the mixture, and increase the heat to 200 °C.
- Roast for another 20 to 30 minutes until the duck skin is crispy and the edges of the quinces are caramelized.
- Let the legs rest briefly and serve with the roasted vegetables and the juices from the dish.
