- 4 duck legs
- 15g/½oz table salt per kilo of duck legs
- 2 tsp thyme leaves
- 2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 600ml/20fl oz duck fat
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp honey
- 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely sliced
- 1 small carrot, finely chopped
- 1 stick celery, finely chopped
- ¼ leek, finely chopped
- 300g/10½oz Puy lentils
- 175ml/6fl oz red wine
- 450ml/16fl oz beef stock
- 2 tbsp good sherry vinegar
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
- 4 slices pancetta, cooked
- For the honey confit of duck, preheat the oven to 140C/275F/Gas 1.
- Mix the salt, herbs and garlic in a bowl with the duck legs to coat them. Cover the bowl and leave for 24 hours in the fridge.
- Rinse the duck legs and wash the salt mix off the duck. Place in an ovenproof saucepan with a lid and add the duck fat and bay leaves.
- Bring to a simmer, then put the lid on and cook in the oven for 2½ hours. Remove the duck from the fat and set aside.
- For the Puy lentils, heat a sauté pan or a large frying pan then add the butter and oil. Once hot, add the onion and cook for two minutes. Add the garlic, carrot, celery and leek and cook for a further two minutes.
- Add the lentils and red wine and bring to the boil. Cook until the wine has reduced by half then add the stock and cook the lentils for 25-30 minutes. Mix in the sherry vinegar and coriander.
- To finish the duck legs, heat the oil in a frying pan, once hot add the honey. Cook the duck legs in the honey for two minutes basting the legs all the time.
- To serve, place a pile of the lentils on the plate with a leg next it, and crumble the cooked pancetta on top of the lentils.