This whole duck recipe sees the magnificent bird served on a bed of earthy puy lentils and silverskin onions, gently braised in chicken stock and the rendered duck fat. A fantastic one-pot dish full of rich indulgent flavours.
To begin, rub the cavity of the duck with a knob of butter. Place the thyme, bay leaves and juniper berries into the cavity and season with salt and pepper
Place a casserole dish over a high heat and once hot add a splash of oil. Carefully add the bird and turn the heat down by half. Colour all over for 3–5 minutes on each side until nicely golden. Remove the bird from the dish and allow to rest whilst you prepare the onions and lentils
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Place the silverskin onions into a bowl and pour boiling water over the top. Leave for 10 minutes – this will make the skins soft. Peel the onions and wash well, then place to one side until needed
Place the casserole dish used to cook the duck over a medium heat. Add the butter, shallot, carrot, celery, thyme and bay leaf. Sweat, but do not allow to colour
Add the puy lentils and stir through. Pour over the chicken stock then bring to the boil. Place a piece of baking paper on top, allow to simmer for 10 minutes then place the duck back on top, scattering the onions on top of the lentils
1 chicken stock pot, dissolved in 500ml boiling water
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Cook the duck in the oven for 20 minutes per 500g of weight, then for a further 20 minutes to finish cooking. Remove from the oven and leave to rest in a warm place for 20 minutes
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Bring the casserole dish to the dining table and dig in
With a background in classical cooking in Michelin-starred kitchens, Richard Bainbridge returned to his home city of Norwich to open Benedicts, a renowned restaurant which serves Norfolk produce cooked with passion, playfulness and creativity.
