Red wine braised duck with roast turnips

Serves 4 4 duck legs 2 tbsp cornflour 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped 2 tbsp butter 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 carrot, trimmed and very finely chopped 300ml red wine 300ml cold water 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus sprigs to garnish 500g turnips, peeled and quartered 2 tbsp olive oil sea salt and black pepper mashed potato and steamed green beans, to serve large oven dish roasting tin

Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/gas mark 3½. Place the duck legs in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the cornflour and thyme, and season with sea salt and black pepper. Tip the flour mixture over the duck legs, then toss to combine, so the duck legs are completely covered in the mixture.

Heat a large frying pan on the hob and add the butter. Once the butter is sizzling, add the duck legs and fry for 5 mins on each side until browned. Transfer the duck legs to the oven dish.

Sauté the garlic, onion and carrot pieces in the duck fat for 8-10 mins until very soft. Transfer the vegetables to the oven dish. Pour the red wine and cold water into the oven dish and add the flat-leaf parsley. Braise in the oven for 1 hr. In the meantime, place the turnips in the roasting tin and drizzle with the olive oil, then season with sea salt and black pepper.

After the duck has braised for 1 hr, turn the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6 and cook the duck for a further 30 mins until the skin is crispy, and the sauce is thickened. Roast the turnips on the top shelf of the oven, at the same time as the duck, for 30 mins until softened and browned.

Serve the duck legs with the sauce, turnips, mashed potato and green beans, garnished with the parsley sprigs. Add cooking juices to taste, if required.

“There was an Old Person of Bray, Who sang through the whole of the day To his ducks and his pigs, whom he fed upon figs, That valuable Person of Bray”

Edward Lear