Unleash your wild side and impress your guests this evening with our fancy duck leg with orange, fennel and watercress recipe.

SERVES 4 // COOK TIME 60 mins

INGREDIENTS
4 duck legs
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper
5 oranges, 1 zested and juiced, 4 halved
¼ cup sugar
2 star anise
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 bulb fennel, sliced
90 g watercress

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Place the duck in a bowl. Add 1 tbsp oil and season. Toss to coat. Place the duck skin-side down in a pan. Cook over high heat for 5 minutes until browned. Place in a roasting tin, skin-side up.
3. Place the orange zest and juice, sugar, star anise, fennel seeds and ½ tsp salt in the pan the duck was cooked in. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes to form a glaze.
4. Pour the glaze over the duck and add the orange halves. Bake for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the duck from the oven and transfer to plates to rest. Add the fennel bulb to the roasting tin, and bake for 8 minutes.
6. Dress the watercress with the rest of the oil, and season.
7. Serve the duck legs with the baked fennel and orange, and the watercress.

Quick tip: To check if your bird is ready, make a small incision near the bone. If it’s done, the juices should run clear. And this works with chicken as well!

There is no better dish to serve up to guests than a traditional French coq au vin. Cooking with wine guarantees you’ll have plenty of fun in the kitchen with this one!