Confit of Duck (Serves 4)

This meal is truly delicious and what is more incredibly simple to make. The only downside being it will take over 2 hours to prepare, but put it in your oven two hours before your guests arrive, leave it and 2 hours later when they taste the tender meat and crispy skin they'll think you a Michelin starred chef.

Ingredients:
4 Duck Legs (one per person)
Salt (preferably sea salt)
A packet of Lard or 1 Pint of Duck or Goose Fat (enough to submerge the Duck Legs)

Method:

1.)    Lightly sprinkle salt on the Duck Legs

2.)    Put the fat into a baking train and then place into an oven pre-heated to 150 degrees.

3.)    Once the fat is heated up place the Duck legs into the fat.

4.)    Cover with foil and leave for 2 hours until the meat is incredibly tender.

5.)    Remove the baking tray from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

6.)    Place the Duck Legs into a frying pan with the skin facing down and fry gently for 15 minutes. You will not need additional fat the fat already on the duck legs will suffice. This will leave the skin crispy and brown.

I usually have the slow cooking done before my guest arrive and fry for fifteen minutes once we're ready to eat, makes the timing very straightforward.

Serving suggestion:

Serve with sautéed new potatoes and rocket and watercress salad; par boil the potatoes then fry in olive oil.

Recommended wines:

Definitely a red wine - For a new world wine try with the Tim Adams Protege Shiraz, for an old world wine I recommend either the Dourthe, Barrel Select 2007 Montagne Saint-Émilion or Vina Pomal Reserva 2005 Rioja (Winston Churchill's favourite).