Ladies and gentlemen, its Crock Pot season!

Its that time of year again folks. Time to dust of your Crock Pots and... plug them in. Here is my favorite recipe for Mondays. Enjoy

Ingredients

1 1/2 to 2 pounds duck legs, skin-on, bone-in, rinsed and patted dry

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms, soaked, chopped, reserving liquid

1/2 cup dried cherries

4 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons apricot preserves

1/4 cup port wine

1 shallot, thinly sliced

16 sprigs fresh thyme, 8 whole, 8 chopped

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper

butcher's twine

Directions

1. Season duck legs with coarse salt and freshly group pepper.
2. Lay a duck leg on your work surface, skin side down and “open”.
3. Place 1 teaspoon of mushrooms, 3-4 dried cherries, 2 sprigs of thyme and 1 clove of garlic on leg. Fold skin over filling and using butcher’s twine, firmly tie the duck leg closed. Repeat with each.
4. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Sear duck legs until browned, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to slow cooker.
5. In a separate bowl, combine remaining mushrooms, 2 tablespoons reserved mushroom liquid (avoiding sediment), remaining cherries, 3 tablespoons apricot preserves, port, shallot, chopped thyme and bay leaves. Season and whisk to combine.
6. Pour port liquid over duck.
7. Cook on low for 6 hours, turning once or twice.
8. Remove duck from slow cooker. Remove twine from legs with kitchen sheers (be careful to remove all of twine).
9. Pour port liquid over a sieve, reserving cherries, etc. Allow remaining liquid to settle and skim off fat. Add cherries, etc., back to skimmed liquid, adjust seasoning and pour over duck legs.