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1
As soon as you get the duck legs home, rinse them, pat dry, and season generously with salt and pepper and the thyme.
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2
Rewrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.
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3
This can be done up to a couple of days in advance.
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4
Bring the duck legs to room temperature.
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5
Preheat the oven to 400F.
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6
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it is very hot.
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7
This will take a couple of minutes.
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8
Add the duck legs, skin side down, and cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
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9
Turn the legs over and brown on the second side, 3 to 5 minutes longer, pouring off the excess fat as you go.
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10
Arrange the onion and garlic in a baking dish large enough to hold the duck legs.
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11
When the legs are nicely browned, place them, skin side up, on top of the onion and garlic.
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12
Roast, turning the legs once at the midway point, for about 1 1/4 hours.
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13
If the fat released during roasting begins to brown and smoke, pour it off.
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14
Also, agitate the onion mixture underneath the duck legs every now and again so that it does not stick or blacken.
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15
At the same time you put the duck legs in the oven, combine the cherries and port in a small enameled cast-iron or other nonreactive saucepan, place over medium-low heat, bring to a simmer, and simmer until the cherries are soft and the port has reduced a bit, about 15 minutes.
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16
Remove from the heat and set aside.
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17
During the last 15 minutes of roasting the duck legs, pour the cherry mixture evenly over the top.
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18
When the duck is done, the meat should fall easily from the bone.
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19
Transfer the duck legs to warmed individual plates or a platter, spoon the cherry-port juices and the onion-garlic mixture over the top, and serve.
