Asian Duck Confit With Shiitake Mushroom Couscous

From The Best Northwest Places Cookbook (Volume 1). Jasper's, Seattle, Washington. In a heated competition held at the prestigious James Beard House in Manhattan, chef Kaspar Donier was proclaimed the national winner of the 1995 Evian Healthy Menu Awards with this flavorful dish. After removing the leg thigh portions, use the duck carcasses for some fabulous stock and the breasts for another dish. Accompany the meal with a Paul Thomas cabernet-merlot and you've got a winning combination.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 45 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4  duck legs or 4  duck, thigh portions
• 4  cups water
• 1  cup dry sherry
• 1  medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1⁄4 cup honey
• 1⁄4 cup soy sauce
• 3  green onions, coarsely chopped
• 1⁄2 stalk lemongrass, coarsely chopped
• 3  tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2  tablespoons  coarsely chopped ginger
• 1  tablespoon  sesame oil
• 3  garlic cloves, crushed
• 1  teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

• SHIITAKE MUSHROOM COUSCOUS

• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1  large leek, trimmed, washed, and cut in julienne strips
• 1⁄2 lb shiitake mushroom, cleaned, trimmed, and thinly sliced
• 1 1⁄4 cups  chicken stock
• 1  cup  whole wheat couscous
•  salt

Directions

1. TRIM EXCESS FAT from the duck legs.
2. COMBINE THE WATER, sherry, onion, honey, soy sauce, green onions, lemongrass, oyster sauce, ginger, sesame oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the duck legs and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the duck is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
3. REMOVE THE DUCK from the broth with a slotted spoon and let cool slightly. Remove and discard the skin; cover to keep warm. Using a large spoon, skim off and discard the fat that has risen to the top of the broth. Strain the broth into a smaller saucepan and boil until reduced by about half, about 20 minutes.
4. PREPARE THE COUSCOUS while the broth is reducing. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek and cook, stirring, until it softens and begins brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until they are rider and begin to give off their liquid, 3 to 4 minutes longer.
5. ADD THE CHICKEN STOCK and bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous, remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let sit until the liquid has been absorbed and the couscous tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Keep warm.
6. RETURN THE DUCK LEGS to the broth and reheat for a few minutes. Spoon the couscous onto individual plates and top each serving with a duck leg. Spoon some of the reduced cooking liquid over the duck and couscous and serve.