Spiced Duck with Pears

This Catalan speciality, known as ànec and peres in the local language, is a fabulous combination of poultry and fruit. Ducks are not common in other regions of Spain. Try to buy a barbary duck if you can. This dish features the picada, a great Catalan invention made of pounded nuts, which both flavours and thickens the final sauce. Serve with a bottle of Gran Sangre de Toro, which will stand up well to this robustly flavoured dish.