Salad with duck legs and watermelon noodles

• duck legs↗2
• vegetable oil↗2 tsp tsp
• five spice1 tsp tsp
• rice noodles↗100g flat g

  (or 2 nests)

• watermelon↗¼ small

  (about 250g), cut into bite‑size pieces

• mint↗small bunch of

  leaves gathered

• coriander↗small bunch of

  leaves gathered

• red chili↗1

  seedless, sliced

• honey↗2 tbsp tbsp

  plus a little for roasting

• soy sauce↗2 tbsp tbsp
• black rice vinegar↗2 tsp tsp
• sesame oil↗1 tbsp tbsp
• ginger↗thumb-sized piece of

  thumb‑sized piece, peeled and finely grated

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C convection/gas 4. Place the duck legs on a tray and rub them with oil, five-spice powder and ½ tsp salt, then roast for 1 hour. Meanwhile, mix the dressing ingredients in a bowl and season.

2. 2

   Remove the tray from the oven and pour the excess fat into a cup (save it for making fantastic roasted potatoes). Spoon 1 tbsp of the dressing onto each duck leg, then drizzle a little extra honey (about 1 tsp per leg). Return to the oven for another 15 minutes, brushing any sticky sauce that drips from the duck onto the skin during the last 8‑10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest while you prepare the noodles.

3. 3

   Boil water in a kettle and place the noodles in a large bowl. Cover with enough hot water to submerge them and let sit for 3‑5 minutes until soft. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool. Shred the duck meat and skin with two forks—they should separate easily from the bone. Toss the noodles with any sticky, fatty juice left on the tray from the duck.

4. 4

   Spread the noodles on a serving platter. Top with watermelon, duck, herbs and chili, drizzle with the remaining dressing and toss just before serving.