Adapted from this New York Times Mark Bittman video, here’s a simple way to cook a delicious French style meal in the oven. Braised in a mix of vegetables and stock, the duck is tender and still crisp-skinned and the puy lentils add a wonderful earthy flavour.
Trim 2 duck legs of excess fat, score the skin lightly and season with salt. Place the legs skin side down in a large oven-proof pan or skillet and turn the heat on to medium. Cook until the skin is golden brown and crisp. Remove to a plate and keep warm. Preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Chop a large onion, some carrots and some celery. If there’s too much fat in the pan you can remove some but leave enough to cook the vegetables. Keep the heat on medium and add the vegetables, 2 bay leaves and a sprig or two of rosemary. Season with a little salt and cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Add ½ a cup or more of red wine and allow it to cook away almost completely. Now place the duck legs skin side up in the vegetable mix and pour in enough chicken stock to braise the duck while keeping the skin out of the liquid. Bring to boil then place in the oven for 40 minutes. In a small saucepan cook ¾ of a cup of puy lentils in some water until they are tender but not mushy. Season the lentils and when the duck is nearly cooked, remove it from the oven and carefully add the lentils, making sure they are all in the liquid. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Serve with crusty bread and a fresh green salad.
michelle picker cooks 