Mexican cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Duck in Red Pipián

Duck legs in a velvety sauce of roasted pumpkin seeds, guajillo and tomato, a festive dish.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 4 duck legs (about 300 g each)
• 200 g pumpkin seeds
• 4 dried guajillo chilies
• 2 dried ancho chilies
• 400 g tomatoes
• 2 onions
• 5 cloves garlic
• 3 cloves and 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 800 ml chicken stock
• 2 tbsp oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Season the duck legs with salt and pepper and place skin-side down in a cold, ungreased pan; cook over medium heat for 12–15 min. until plenty of fat has rendered and the skin is golden and crisp, then flip and cook for another 5 min.
2. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 4–5 min. until they pop and smell nutty, then tip immediately onto a plate so they don't turn bitter.
3. Seed the guajillo and ancho chilies, toast briefly and soak in 300 ml hot stock for 20 min.
4. Sauté the tomatoes, onions and garlic in 2 tbsp oil for 8 min., then blend very smooth with the soaked chilies, pumpkin seeds, cloves, cinnamon and 300 ml stock and pass through a sieve.
5. Simmer the purée in the duck fat over medium heat, stirring, for 10 min. — it will spatter and darken noticeably — then stir in the remaining stock and bay leaves until smooth.
6. Place the legs in the sauce and braise gently covered for 50–60 min. until the meat is tender; season with salt and serve with rice and the thickly reduced sauce.