Slow-Cooked Duck Legs

Combine allspice, thyme, cumin, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and juniper berries in a small bowl, mixing well. Sprinkle lightly and evenly over duck legs, then rub into flesh. Sprinkle evenly with salt.

Place in a glass dish large enough to hold them all in a single layer, cover with plastic and refrigerate 24 hours.

Heat oven to 300 degrees F.

Remove legs from dish and wipe carefully with paper towels to remove all salt. Place skin-side up in a 3-inch-deep baking dish or two dishes just large enough to hold them all in a single layer. Add bay leaf to pan and arrange garlic cloves around legs.

Cover tightly with foil and cook 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until meat is extremely tender when pierced with a skewer. (If legs are not to be served right away, remove from fat and let stand on a clean platter.)

Just before serving, heat broiler and place legs on broiler pan. Broil just until skin turns crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. (They can also be crisped in a large skillet over medium-high heat.)