Oca / Ânec amb peres

Traditionally, this dish, taken from Elizabeth Luard's lovely book, The Food of Spain, would be made with goose. However, it works equally well with duck from the Penedès. Try to find local pears to go with it.

Wipe clean a large, whole duck (about 3kgs) and prick the skin all over to let out some of the fat during cooking. Put a table-spoon of pork lard, or goose fat if you have it, into a large casserole and heat. Add the duck and turn to baste. Add three cloves of peeled garlic and 1 bay leaf. Cover with foil and leave to cook gently at around 180°C, Gas mark 4 for about 1.5 hours.

Meanwhile, peel 6 small firm pears leaving the stalk intact. Fry 1 large, finely chopped, sweet onion; 2 chopped garlic cloves; 1 table-spoon pine nuts; 1 tablespoon raisins; 1 tablespoon chopped parsley; 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon. When melted, add 2 large chopped tomatoes and simmer until thick. Add 1 glass of water, the same of anis and the pear stalk side up and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Remove the pears, and season the sauce to taste. Pour around the roast duck and simmer for a further 20 minutes on the stove top to blend the flavours together.

Carve the duck in thick wedges and place on top of the sauce with 1 pear per portion. Serve with the usual roast potatoes and vegetable trimmings.