Fesenjan (duck in pomegranate and walnut stew)

Break the duck into pieces: remove the wingtips, pop and remove the thighs, cut either side of the breastbone and lift off the breasts, then cut the wings from the breasts. Keep the carcass and wingtips for stock.

Dice the two onions small or medium; smaller dissolves into the sauce.

Grind the saffron very fine in a mortar with a tiny bit of salt; dissolve in 60 ml hot, not boiling, water.

Toast the walnuts in a cold pan about 2 minutes, stirring, until they smell of walnut.

Process in a food processor past breadcrumb texture to a paste like soft cookie dough.

Put the duck skin side down in a cold large pot, heat to medium and render the fat at least 10 minutes until the skin is very crispy.

Flip and cook 5 minutes more; remove and set aside.

Sauté the onions lightly in the duck fat a couple of minutes; when they soften add the turmeric and sauté 4 to 6 minutes more until soft.

Deglaze with a little water, add the walnut paste and stir thoroughly to combine.

Cook stirring constantly about 5 minutes until the oils seep out of the walnut paste.

Add the tomato paste and pomegranate molasses; cook a couple of minutes until glossy and uniform.

Season with salt, black pepper and cinnamon; add the saffron water (reserve a teaspoon for the rice if wanted) and the duck stock; stir until the walnut paste dissolves.

Return the duck, bring to a light simmer on high, then very low, covered with a tight-fitting lid, for two hours (remove chicken after one).

Remove the tender duck and reduce the sauce another hour.

Reheat the duck in the sauce and skim off some excess fat.

Garnish with pomegranate seeds and parsley; serve with steamed basmati rice, some of it mixed with saffron liquid.