Ingredients
- 2 x Mallard Ducks
- Puy Lentils
- Swiss Chard
- 3 large Carrots
- 1 Onion
- 2 Shallots
- 3 large sticks Celery
- Armagnac Brandy
- Orange
- 3 Plums
- 1 pint Jellied Beef Stock
- Half pint of chicken stock.
- Honey
- 7 cloves Garlic
- Butter
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable Oil
- Star Anise
- Coriander Seeds
- Mustard Seeds
- Thyme
- Salt
- Pepper
Method
Thoroughly check the duck for shot and remove. Joint the duck, remove the legs being sure to keep the skin intact. Remove the thigh bone and hock to allow the meat to shrink back during cooking. Joint the crown being careful to avoid any splintered bone. Cross hatch the skin.
Prepare the vegetables by peeling (including the celery) and finely dice.
Toast the spices in a dry pan then bruise with a pestle and mortar to release the aromatics. Split the spices into two bowls. Create a dry brine by adding salt to one of your spice bowls and then sprinkling onto a wooden board. Layer the duck legs on the board, skin side down and then sprinkle the brine over the top of the legs. Use a vacuum pack to seal the legs and brine and leave for 30 minutes.
Soak the lentils for either 24 hours or use a chamber vacuum (repeat three times) to prepare the lentils for cooking. Drain off any remaining water.
When the salt has liquified on the duck legs you are ready to confit them. Rinse them in clean water then dry on a cloth. Place into a tray and cover with vegetable oil (you can use goose fat or duck fat if you prefer). Place in the oven at 140°C/275°F for 1 ½ hours.
Sweat the vegetables on a low heat in a pan with olive oil and butter, do not allow to colour. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Finely slice three cloves of garlic and strip the thyme and add to sweated vegetables. Add the lentils. Pour over a pint of chicken stock/water mix and cover with a cartouche. Leave to simmer for 45 minutes.
Finely slice 2 shallots and 3 cloves of garlic. Sweat in a pan with olive oil. Add a splash of Armagnac and flambe. Stone 3 plums and add to the pan. Cut two slices of orange peel and add to the pan before pouring in the remaining toasted spices. Season with salt and pepper and add the beef stock.
Split the duck crown with the heel of a knife to create a flat surface. Sprinkle with salt and place skin side down in a hot oiled pan. Create a cartouche and press down to colour the skin. Remove from the pan, coat with honey and thyme before smoking in the Traeger at 150°C/300°F for around 12 minutes.
Strain the sauce and add a tablespoon of honey to sweeten if necessary. Pour half of the sauce over the cooked lentils and add a knob of butter to enrich.
Add a large knob of butter to a hot pan and add a crushed clove of garlic. Sautee the Swiss Chard. Add seasoning. Do not overcook remove from the heat as soon as it starts to wilt down.
Remove the duck crown from the Traeger and check the temperature – you need to meat to be at 50°C/120°F. Cut the breast off the bone and add to some foaming butter to cook the underside. Remove and slice.
Remove the Confit legs from the oven pop in the same pan as the duck breast. Brush the confit legs with honey.
Serve the duck on a base of lentils surrounded by Chard. Drizzle over the remaining sauce.