I love Duck and this recipe includes loads of salads and green beans. It’s a great meal with healthy fats from the lovely dressing, protein and a good contribution towards your 5 a day. Most importantly it tastes really great and also makes a great first course if you are having some friends over for a bite to eat.

Serves 4

4 Confit legs – If you don’t prepare your own these are available in good delis and shops like M&S. (I prepare my own and include how to below).

 Salad

Selection of different lettuces lambs lettuce, read oak leaf curly endive etc

2 oranges peeled, white removed and segmented

55g fine French beans blanched and refreshed

Lardons of bacon

Hazelnut Vinaigrette

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

4 tbsps olive oil

2 tbsp hazelnut oil

Pinch of salt and pepper and perhaps a pinch of sugar to taste

Steps

Reheat duck legs by placing on tray in oven for about 10-12 minutes to brown and crisp. Drain off any fat still coming from the legs. The duck legs should be heated through. Place under hot grill to crisp up the fat. Keep warm until ready to use.

Prepare the salad by cooking the beans in boiling salted water until just tender. If not using immediately, drain and put into iced water for a few seconds to stop the cooking and keep the beautiful colour. Reheat when using by putting into boiling water for few seconds.

Heat drop of sunflower oil in small plan and sauté the lardons until golden and crispy. Drain and keep warm.

Carefully break-up your lettuces into but size pieces and place in mixing bowl. Mix all the dressing ingredients for the vinaigrette into an airtight jar and give it a good shake.  Dress the salad leaves ensuring they are well coated. Shake the lardoons into the salad leaves and mix gently.

To assemble shred the meat off the duck legs and divide among the 4 places.

Place a mound of salad leaves and lardoons on top of the duck. Keep the mound high to look lovely.

Dress the place with some orange segments

Serve and Enjoy!

Confit Duck
You can use legs and breasts
Place duck pieces flesh side up into flat casserole dish.
Give them a good sprinkle of sea salt.
Add some crushed garlic cloves and thyme sprigs and cover with cling and set aside for a good few hours to marinate and add flavour.

Take pieces out of casserole and pat with kitchen roll to remove the salt and the water which will have come out of the duck.
Place all the pieces into a oven proof dish with a tight fitting lid.
Cover them with duck fat or a combination of cooking oil and duck fat.
Place on hob and bring up heat to bring to bubbling and melt the fat.
Remove and place into oven at about 130deg C for about 2 hours until the pieces are tender when pierced with a knife.

Keep them in the fridge under the fat until using.

When using, take one out of the fat, wipe the excess off and place into hot oven for 10-12 minutes to heat and crisp the skin. If the skin could be crisper place under grill for few minutes to crisp up.