FOR MARINADE
8 Duck Legs
12 sticks of cinnamon
8 pieces of green cardamom
1/8 cup fennel seed
12 pieces star anise
8 pieces allspice
zest of 3 oranges, chopped
1 head garlic, chopped
2 pounds salt
1 pound sugar

FOR DUCK
5 quarts chicken stock
4 heads of garlic, split lengthwise
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
15 black peppercorns
4 endive, leaves separated and cores discarded
1 1/2 pounds gai choy, cleaned
1 pound oyster mushrooms
1 1/2 tablespoons shallots, brunoised
4 cloves garlic confit
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons duckling jus, or reduced and thickened chicken stock
4 leaves raw endive, cut into thin strips (chiffonade)
fine herbs (chervil, chives, tarragon, parsley)
salt and pepper

FOR MARINADE
- Grind cinnamon, green cardamom, fennel seed, star anise, and allspice (you may choose to use pre-ground ingredients).
- Mix together ground spices, orange zest, and chopped garlic until a paste is formed. Rub over duckling legs and let marinade for 24 hours.
- Mix salt and sugar together. On a half sheet pan, sprinkle a dusting of the sugar and salt mixture.
- Place legs over mixture. Dump remaining salt/sugar mixture on top of the legs. Let marinade for another 15-18 hours.
- Remove salt and sugar from duck legs by quickly rinsing under running water.


FOR LEGS
- Heat chicken stock with split heads of garlic, thyme, and peppercorns. Submerge duck legs in stock. Bring to a simmer.
- Cook until meat is fork tender. Remove and cool.
- To serve, brown legs in a pan. Remove legs and set aside.
- In same pan, sauté endive leaves and remove. Then sauté gai choy and remove. Sauté mushrooms and remove. Then sweat shallots and garlic confit. De-glaze with sherry vinegar. Add duck jus. Simmer and add back to sauteed endive, gai choy and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place legs and garnishes on a plate. Top with raw endive chiffonade and a sprinkling of fine herbs.