Ingredients:-

For the duck

• 4 duck legs
• approx 15g table salt (you will need 15g/½oz salt per kilo of duck legs)
• 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
• 300g/11oz duck fat

For the ragoût

• 1 banana shallot, finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, finely diced
• 200g/7oz tinned tomatoes
• 400g/14oz tinned flageolet beans, drained and rinsed
• 200ml/7fl oz chicken stock
• 1 sprig rosemary, leaves finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 50g/2oz butter

For the celeriac mash

• 500g/1lb 2oz floury potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
• 500g/1lb 2oz celeriac, peeled, cut into chunks
• 75g/3oz butter
• 110ml/4fl oz double cream
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:-

For the duck

• Weigh the duck legs. You will need 15g/½oz of salt per
• kilo of duck legs. Place the duck legs into a roasting tray and sprinkle
• with the salt. Sprinkle over the thyme, then cover the tray with cling
• film and chill in the fridge overnight.
• Heat a heavy frying pan over a low to medium heat, then add the
• duck legs to the pan and cover them completely in the duck fat.
• Bring the duck fat to a gentle simmer and cook the duck legs gently
• for 2-2½ hours, or until the meat is very tender. Remove the duck
• legs from the fat, reserving the fat, and place onto a clean roasting
• tray, draining off any excess fat.
• Shred the meat from two of the confit duck legs. Set the other two
• aside.

For the ragoût

• Heat a little of the reserved duck fat in a frying pan over a medium
• heat. Add the shallot and garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until
• softened.
• Add the canned tomatoes, bring the mixture to a simmer and cookfor a further 2-3 minutes.
• Add the shredded duck meat, flageolet beans, stock and rosemary
• and return the mixture to the boil. Boil for another 2-3 minutes, then
• season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then
• whisk in the butter.
• Heat a little more of the reserved duck fat in a frying pan over a high
• heat. Add the reserved duck legs, skin-side down, and fry for 2-3
• minutes, or until the skin is crisp and the duck meat is warmed
• through.

Meanwhile, for celeriac mash, place the potatoes and celeriac into a

• pan of salted water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and
• simmer for 15 minutes, or until just tender. Drain well and return to
• the pan to steam over the heat for one minute.
• Pass the cooked potatoes and celeriac through a ricer (or mash
• with a potato masher) until smooth, then return to the pan. Add the
• butter and cream and mix well, then season, to taste, with salt and
• freshly ground black pepper.

To serve, pile some of the celeriac mash onto each of two serving

• plates, then spoon the ragoût alongside. Top each portion with a
• crispy confit duck leg