salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup water, or as needed
3 tablespoons olive oil, or more to taste
2 cups diced yellow onion
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 cups chicken broth, or more as needed
2/3 cup pomegranate molasses
1/4 cup honey
3 cups walnut halves
Season duck legs all over with salt and black pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Place duck legs, skin-side down, in hot oil and cook until browned, 2 to 5 minutes; turn and cook until browned on the other side, 2 to 4 minutes more. Transfer legs to a plate; pour rendered duck fat into a bowl. Pour water into the skillet and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat. Heat about 2 tablespoons duck fat and olive oil in Dutch oven medium heat. Cook and stir onion in hot oil and fat until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Add turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg; cook and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Pour chicken broth, pomegranate molasses, honey, and reserved water mixture from the skillet into onions; bring to a simmer. Grind walnuts to a fine powder in a food processor. Cook and stir walnuts in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir walnuts into broth mixture; place duck legs in broth to cover in broth. Reduce heat and simmer until duck legs are tender, 3 to 4 hours. Transfer duck to a serving dish. Bring broth mixture to a boil; cook until reduced and desired sauce consistency is reached. Season with salt. Ladle sauce over duck legs.