Duck Leg Tagine With Harissa, Apricots and Almonds

Duck leg tagine, slowly cooked until perfectly tender on a bed of onions, dried apricots and almonds in a mildly spicy rose harissa sauce.

It's a supremely easy dish to cook; all you need to do is brown the duck legs, then layer up the dish, pour over the sauce, add a lid and wait for dinner to be ready!

Moroccan-Influenced Duck Legs

I adore cooking with duck, and I love cooking with North African flavours, so this wonderful Moroccan-influenced duck leg tagine ticks all of the boxes for me!

You don't have to amble far on my website before you stumble across a duck recipe. I have offerings as diverse as a classic duck breast with orange sauce to a glorious tamarind duck leg recipe, and of course, whole roast duck.

Likewise, I have an equally eclectic collection of tagine recipes ranging from classics like Moroccan lamb tagine, vegetarian chickpea tagine and chicken tagine, as well as less well-trodden paths like my rabbit tagine and fish tagine.

This recipe balances the richness of duck legs with sweet apricots and one of my favourite ingredients, rose harissa paste!

The addition of onions adds an extra level of flaovur and almonds provide a wonderful texture to a dish that you will want to make over and over again!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to cook this in a tagine?

No, you can cook this in a small skillet or frying pan, choose something around 24cm or 10" in diameter, but you do need a lid.

What is rose harissa?

Rose harissa is a spicy pepper paste from North Africa; it differs from regular harissa in its use of rose petals and or rose water.

You can make this with regular harissa, and it will taste great too.

I usually use Belazu-branded harissa paste in my cooking.

What can I use the leftover harissa paste for?

Don't worry about having harissa left over, I use it a lot. You can use up what's left in everything from my harissa lamb chops and lamb stuffed peppers to my harissa pasta recipe.

Do I have to use apricots?

No, but this recipe definitely benefits from a little sweetness! If you are not keen on apricots, how about swapping them out for dried dates?

What is sumac?

It is a spice made from the dried “fruit” of the sumac plant. It has a delicious tart flavour that is almost like a cross between lemon and vinegar.

You can use it as both a cooking ingredient and also as a seasoning on finished dishes. I use it both ways in this recipe.

What temperature should a duck leg be when it is cooked?

Whilst duck breast is wonderful when served pink, I prefer duck legs to be cooked longer. It helps break down any connective tissue and makes them much nicer to eat.

I usually aim for at least 73-75°C or 165-167°F.

Serving Suggestions

Tagines have big flavours, and for that reason, I prefer blank canvases as side dishes.

In this instance, I served this with a herby buttered couscous, but also serve it regularly with bulgur wheat.

It would work equally well with my batata harra recipe, a wonderful Lebanese-influenced potato dish!

You could also get some baby carrots and use the spicing from this Moroccan carrot recipe to make a vegetable side.

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/stovetop
• Small 20-23cm (8-10") tagine.
• Kitchen tongs.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
• Small mixing bowl and spoon for mixing the sauce.