Կ ո ւ ր կ ո ւ տ
wheat berry porridge with duck
The Artsakh answer to Armenia’s Harissa (page 196) is kurkut. The word itself means both the crushed wheat berries and a savory porridge made with either pork or duck. In Mets Tagher, a hillside village in Artsakh, we saw trays of wheat berries drying at a restaurant that had a stone mill to crush them for kurkut. (No matter where you are in this part of the world, wheat berries will find you.)
The biggest difference between kurkut and harissa is how the ingredients are cooked. Instead of being stirred together, they are layered and allowed to gently braise, explains Carmen Harutunyan, an Artsakh native who now lives in Yerevan. Because replicating the exact type of wheat berry is challenging in the United States, we use unpearled farro, which is a darker red than pearled farro. You can also make kurkut with hard red winter wheat berries, though they may require more time to cook. The best accompaniment for kurkut is a side of Salt-Brined Cucumber Pickles (page 133) to cut through the richness, as well as an herb and cheese plate (see page 35) and Tonir Hats (page 73). While not traditional, we also like serving a dish of sour cherries and onions alongside, to bring out the flavor of the duck.
Serves 6
6 whole duck legs (thigh and drumstick attached)
2 cups [360 g] farro (preferably unpearled) or hard red winter wheat berries
2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
5 cups [1.2 L] water, plus more as needed
1 cup [165 g] dried sour cherries
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp sunflower oil or other neutral oil
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
Arrange the oven racks to be able to accommodate a 6 qt [5.7 L] or similar-size Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan and preheat to 300ºF [150ºC].
Pull the skins off the duck legs, using a paring knife to help detatch the skin. (It’s okay if some of the skin is left around the drumsticks.) With the knife, separate the thighs from the drumsticks. Place 1 cup [180 g] of the farro at the base of the Dutch oven and arrange the thighs and legs in one layer as much as possible. Season with half of the salt, then cover with the remaining 1 cup [180 g] farro and season with the remaining salt. Pour in the water, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat, cover, and transfer to the oven.
Bake for 1 hour, then check to see how much water has been absorbed by the farro. If the pot is looking dry, pour in 1 cup [240 ml] water. Cover and continue to cook for 1 hour more, or until the farro is soft and the duck is very tender when pierced with a fork.
In a small bowl mix the cherries and vinegar together. Warm the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, lower the heat to medium, and gently cook, stirring often, until the onions soften and start to look translucent but before they become completely soft and brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the cherries and vinegar, season with a few pinches of salt, and cook briefly until the vinegar has reduced. Remove from the heat. (This can be made ahead of time and served at room temperature.)
Uncover the Dutch oven and place it on the stove over medium heat. (It is okay if the porridge look a little watery at this stage.) Bring to a simmer and cook, checking the bottom with a wooden spoon to ensure it’s not burning, until the porridge reaches the desired consistency—some like it soupier while others prefer it to be as thick as oatmeal.
Divide the duck and farro among 6 bowls and serve with the onions and sour cherries on the side. Leftovers keep, refrigerated, for up to 5 days. Reheat by gently simmering the porridge on the stove with a splash of water.
