DUCK LEGS WITH PUY LENTILS AND ONIONS

Serves 4

A wonderfully wintry main course that combines gloriously rich duck legs with earthy lentils and sweet golden onions.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 duck legs

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 onions, quartered through the core

2 garlic cloves, sliced

120g (4oz) Puy lentils

4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped (see tip)

100ml (3½fl oz) duck or chicken stock

200ml (7fl oz) red wine

Pinch of sugar

Wilted greens or green salad, to serve

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 240°C, 475°F, Gas 9.

2 Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole over a medium heat. Sprinkle the duck legs with salt and pepper and fry, skin side down, until golden brown, then turn them over and cook for a further 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

3 Next, fry the onions in the casserole until golden around the edges, then add the garlic, lentils and tomatoes and cook for another minute or two. Add the stock and wine, bring to the boil and return the duck legs to the casserole, then season with the pinch of sugar and the salt and pepper.

4 Cover the casserole with a lid, then place in the oven and cook for 60-80 minutes until the meat comes away easily from the bone.

5 Serve with wilted greens or a large green salad.

TIP: To peel tomatoes, use a sharp knife to score a cross in the base of each one, cutting through the skin. Place the tomatoes in a bowl and cover with boiling water, and leave for 15-20 seconds. Drain and rinse in cold water, then peel off the skin — it should come away very easily.