Confit duck with lentils and sugar-glazed carrots recipe
 Slow-cooked duck legs are served with creamy lentils and sugar-glazed carrots. 4 duck legs, knuckle removed1 cinnamon stick2 star anise2cm/¾in knob ginger, peeled and chopped6 juniper berries5 black peppercorns1 shallot, chopped3 garlic cloves, bruised2 fresh bay leavesduck fat, to cover4 tbsp coarse salt50g/1¾oz heritage kale or normal kale, steamed, to serve 4 duck legs, knuckle removed 1 cinnamon stick 2 star anise 2cm/¾in knob ginger, peeled and chopped 6 juniper berries 5 black peppercorns 1 shallot, chopped 3 garlic cloves, bruised 2 fresh bay leaves duck fat, to cover 4 tbsp coarse salt 50g/1¾oz heritage kale or normal kale, steamed, to serve 75g/2½oz butter100g/3½oz sliced Bayonne ham or other cured ham, diced1 celery stick, diced1 carrot, diced1 red onion, diced1 rosemary sprig, leaves picked and chopped200g/7oz pardina lentils or other brown lentils1 litre/1¾ pint good-quality chicken stockhandful babyleaf spinach2 tbsp Dijon mustard100g/3½oz full-fat crème fraïche 75g/2½oz butter 100g/3½oz sliced Bayonne ham or other cured ham, diced 1 celery stick, diced 1 carrot, diced 1 red onion, diced 1 rosemary sprig, leaves picked and chopped 200g/7oz pardina lentils or other brown lentils 1 litre/1¾ pint good-quality chicken stock handful babyleaf spinach 2 tbsp Dijon mustard 100g/3½oz full-fat crème fraïche knob butterpinch sugarpinch wild black pepper, such as Voatsiperifery (or ground black pepper and ground star anise) baby carrots, with topssalt knob butter pinch sugar pinch wild black pepper, such as Voatsiperifery (or ground black pepper and ground star anise) baby carrots, with tops salt Method To make the confit duck, place the duck legs in a deep baking dish and sprinkle each leg evenly with a scant dessertspoon of the salt. Add the cinnamon, star anise, ginger, juniper, peppercorns, shallot, garlic and bay leaves to the dish and leave to chill in the fridge for about 12 hours or overnight. Wash off the salt and pat dry.Preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2. Gently heat the duck fat in a large casserole dish and submerge the duck legs completely in the fat. Transfer to the oven and cook for 2½–3 hours or until very tender. Carefully remove the duck legs from the fat, reserving the fat, and place on a roasting tray, draining off any excess fat. Leave to cool and then gently press the duck legs to ensure the skin will be evenly crispy when frying later. Meanwhile, to make the lentils, heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the ham. Add the celery, carrot, onion and rosemary and fry for 10 minutes, or until soft. Add the lentils and stock and cook until the lentils are soft with a very slight bite. Stir in the spinach, mustard and crème fraïche. To make the carrots, heat the butter in a frying pan and add the sugar, wild pepper, a splash of water and some salt. Add the carrots and then keep adding enough water to steam the carrots until they are tender and glazed with the sugar mixture. Heat some of the duck fat in a frying pan and fry the duck legs over a high heat. Add the duck legs, skin-side down, and fry for 2–3 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and the duck meat is warmed through. Serve the confit duck with the lentils, carrots and steamed kale. To make the confit duck, place the duck legs in a deep baking dish and sprinkle each leg evenly with a scant dessertspoon of the salt. Add the cinnamon, star anise, ginger, juniper, peppercorns, shallot, garlic and bay leaves to the dish and leave to chill in the fridge for about 12 hours or overnight. Wash off the salt and pat dry. To make the confit duck, place the duck legs in a deep baking dish and sprinkle each leg evenly with a scant dessertspoon of the salt. Add the cinnamon, star anise, ginger, juniper, peppercorns, shallot, garlic and bay leaves to the dish and leave to chill in the fridge for about 12 hours or overnight. Wash off the salt and pat dry. Preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2. Gently heat the duck fat in a large casserole dish and submerge the duck legs completely in the fat. Transfer to the oven and cook for 2½–3 hours or until very tender. Carefully remove the duck legs from the fat, reserving the fat, and place on a roasting tray, draining off any excess fat. Leave to cool and then gently press the duck legs to ensure the skin will be evenly crispy when frying later. Preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2. Gently heat the duck fat in a large casserole dish and submerge the duck legs completely in the fat. Transfer to the oven and cook for 2½–3 hours or until very tender. Carefully remove the duck legs from the fat, reserving the fat, and place on a roasting tray, draining off any excess fat. Leave to cool and then gently press the duck legs to ensure the skin will be evenly crispy when frying later. Meanwhile, to make the lentils, heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the ham. Add the celery, carrot, onion and rosemary and fry for 10 minutes, or until soft. Add the lentils and stock and cook until the lentils are soft with a very slight bite. Stir in the spinach, mustard and crème fraïche. Meanwhile, to make the lentils, heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the ham. Add the celery, carrot, onion and rosemary and fry for 10 minutes, or until soft. Add the lentils and stock and cook until the lentils are soft with a very slight bite. Stir in the spinach, mustard and crème fraïche. To make the carrots, heat the butter in a frying pan and add the sugar, wild pepper, a splash of water and some salt. Add the carrots and then keep adding enough water to steam the carrots until they are tender and glazed with the sugar mixture. To make the carrots, heat the butter in a frying pan and add the sugar, wild pepper, a splash of water and some salt. Add the carrots and then keep adding enough water to steam the carrots until they are tender and glazed with the sugar mixture. Heat some of the duck fat in a frying pan and fry the duck legs over a high heat. Add the duck legs, skin-side down, and fry for 2–3 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and the duck meat is warmed through. Heat some of the duck fat in a frying pan and fry the duck legs over a high heat. Add the duck legs, skin-side down, and fry for 2–3 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and the duck meat is warmed through. Serve the confit duck with the lentils, carrots and steamed kale. Serve the confit duck with the lentils, carrots and steamed kale.