Ingredients

• 1 mallard duck carcass (without the breasts) roughly chopped
• 25g/1oz butter
• 2 shallots
• sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig thyme
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 150ml/5fl oz red wine
• 800ml/14fl oz chicken stock
• 50g/2oz Puy lentils
• 150ml/5fl oz chicken stock
• 1 garlic clove
• finely chopped
• 1 thyme sprig
• 4 mallard duck breasts
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 150-175g/5-6oz parsnips
• thinly sliced lengthways (use a vegetable peeler)
• vegetable oil
• for deep fat frying
• salt
• 150-175g/5-6oz mixed salad leaves
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions

• For the sauce
• preheat the oven to 230C/350F/Gas 8.
• Place the mallard carcass in a roasting tin and roast in the oven for 15 minutes
• until browned.
• Heat a large frying pan until hot. Add half of the butter to the pan and
• when the butter starts foaming
• add the shallots
• garlic
• bay leaf
• thyme and freshly ground black pepper to the pan. Fry until well-browned.
• Add the tomato purée to the pan and cook for a minute or two.
• Add the red wine to the pan and cook until it reduces so much that nearly all of the liquid has gone.
• Add the roasted carcass to the pan and stir well. Pour in the stock and 200ml/7fl oz of water.
• Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer over a low heat until thickened - this will take approximately 45 minutes.
• Pass the sauce through a fine sieve into a clean pan or jug
• and skim off any fat. Keep the sauce warm.
• For the lentils
• place the lentils in a saucepan with the stock
• garlic
• thyme and just enough water to cover. Cook them over a low heat for 20 minutes
• until tender.
• Drain the lentils and transfer them to a bowl. Cover with aluminium foil and keep warm until required.
• For the duck
• season the duck breasts well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat a large frying pan until hot
• add the sunflower oil
• and then the breasts
• skin-side down.
• Cook for 4-5 minutes
• until crisp and brown. Turn the breasts over with tongs and cook on the other side for 2-4 minutes (this will leave the centre of each breast slightly pink; you may wish to add extra cooking time if you like your duck more cooked through).
• Place the duck breasts on a clean plate
• cover with aluminium foil
• and allow them to rest in a warm place for at least ten minutes.
• For the crisp parsnip shreds
• heat the vegetable oil in a deep heavy-based saucepan to about to 190C/375F - a breadcrumb will sizzle and brown when dropped in it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous - do not leave unattended.)
• Deep fry the parsnip slices until golden-brown. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them in a bowl lined with kitchen paper to drain. Sprinkle with salt.
• To serve
• mix the salad leaves
• balsamic vinegar and olive oil in a large bowl. Add the cooked lentils and combine gently. Carve the duck breasts into thin slices and add the duck to the bowl.
• Carefully mix the salad together using your hands and divide among four plates
• then drizzle over the sauce.
• Top each mound of leaves with a handful of crisp parsnip shreds. Serve immediately.