Spiced Duck & Cherry Rillette

Recipes & food styling Fiona Smith
Photography Aaron McLean
Styling Fiona Lascelles

	2 duck leg and thigh pieces (about 500g)
	½ teaspoon salt
	2 cloves garlic, crushed, peeled
	15g fresh ginger, peeled, sliced
	½ cinnamon stick, crushed
	1 star anise
	4 whole cloves
	½ teaspoon dried chilli
	zest of 1 orange
	½ jar The Sojourner Sichuan Pickled Central Otago Cherries
	sesame crackers, bread, radishes or cucumber, to serve

1.	Heat the oven to 150°C.
2.	Put the duck pieces in a small, heavy-based casserole and rub with the salt.
3.	Add the garlic to the pot with the ginger, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, chilli and orange zest, and pour over 100ml water.
4.	Cover and cook for 3 hours, until the meat is very tender.
5.	Remove the duck pieces from the casserole then strain the fat and juices into a dish, reserving some spices for garnish.
6.	Remove the duck skin and chop it finely.
7.	At this point you can discard some of the unrendered fat if you prefer.
8.	Use two forks to tear the meat from the bones, discarding the bones.
9.	Continue tearing the meat into fine strips and mix with the skin.
10.	Add 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat and juices along with 2 tablespoons of juice from the cherries.
11.	Cut six cherries in half and discard the pits.
12.	Fold through the rillette.
13.	Pack the meat into a 250ml pot, pressing down to remove any air bubbles.
14.	Spoon more of the fat and juices over the meat to completely seal the top.
15.	Refrigerate until required, for up to 5 days.
16.	To serve, remove from the fridge for 30 minutes, top with more pickled cherries and a few of the reserved spices.
17.	Serve with sesame crackers or bread and crunchy vegetables.