Asked to make a meal using duck?

Question:

I've been asked to make a meal using duck. What would chef recommend?

Joanna Simpson, Ambleside

Justin says...

I’d go for some lovely slow cooked duck legs, served with some Puy lentils, roasted carrots and a red wine and honey jus. Buy 4 nice large duck legs from your butcher, liberally season with rock salt, chopped thyme, chopped rosemary and a few cloves of crushed garlic. Cover and leave in the fridge for 24 hours. Pre-heat your oven to 140C. Wash the salt mixture of the duck legs and place in an oven proof dish. Cover with 600ml duck fat, bring to a simmer on top of the stove, then cover and place in the oven for about 3 hours. Finely dice 1 onion and 1 carrot, place in a hot frying pan with a large knob of butter, sauté without colour, add 200g of washed Puy lentils, a large splash of red wine and 400ml vegetable stock. Cook for about 30 minutes. Remove the duck legs from the duck fat and brush with honey, bake in hot oven for 10 minutes till crisp. Peel some large carrots and roast in a hot oven with butter and garlic till cooked. Serve the crispy duck legs with the braised lentils, the roasted carrots and a red wine sauce.