Confit duck legs are one of life’s best treats. Here they are slow cooked in duck fat along with herbs like fresh thyme and rosemary, then served on top of a bed of lentils and vegetables pickled with mustard seeds. The lentils are braised in Calvet Prestige Côtes Du Rhône Villages Red Wine and chicken broth, along with shallots and garlic.
A day ahead of cooking, begin by preparing the mustard pickled vegetables. in a saucepan combine the white vinegar, water, sugar, mustard seeds and salt. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Turn off the heat and leave the mixture to cool
Add the prepared vegetables to a jar, then cover with the cooled pickling liquid. Seal the jar and leave to pickle in the fridge overnight
The next day, season the duck legs generously with salt and pepper, then place them in a large pot along with the crushed garlic, thyme, coriander seeds and rosemary
Cover the duck legs with the duck fat, making sure they are completely submerged, then cover the pot with a lid. Cook the duck legs on low heat for around 3 hours or until the meat falls off the bone
Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200°C on the grill setting
Rinse the green lentils under cold water. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan then add in the chopped shallot and minced garlic. Cook for around 4 minutes, until softened
Add in the lentils, along with the tomato paste. Cook out for a minute or so then add in the flour and stir well
Add in the Calvet Prestige Côtes Du Rhône Villages Red Wine and leave to reduce by half. Add in the chicken broth and bay leaf then bring the mix to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, then cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape. Season with salt and pepper to taste
Meanwhile, remove the duck legs from the fat, and place them onto a parchment lined oven tray. Place into the oven and cook for around 10 minutes or until the skin is crisp
To serve, stir the chopped parsley through the lentils then spoon them onto serving plates, then place over a confit duck leg. Arrange the mustard-pickled vegetables over the lentils. Enjoy with a glass of Calvet Prestige Côtes Du Rhône Villages Red Wine
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