MasterChef winner Jane Devonshire shares her duck confit shepherd’s pie recipe

This recipe is perfect for this time of year, slow but easy cooking to give a lovely winter warmer that you can serve simply to guests or family with just some lovely dark greens. It’s also a great way to make duck go a long way and feed four people comfortably with just 2 duck legs.

For the duck confit

• 2 duck legs

• 2 large garlic cloves lightly crushed (you can leave the skins on)

• 2-3 sprigs of thyme

• 2 sprigs of rosemary

• 300gm jar of duck fat melted

• Salt & black pepper

• Small roasting dish - I like to cook these in a small roasting dish so you don’t need a large amount of the duck fat

Method

• Season the legs with salt and pepper and place in the roasting tin with all the ingredients ensuring the legs and ingredients are covered completely by the duck fat

• Place in oven pre warmed to 120c for 3 hours

• Remove from the oven, allow to cool, take the fat off and gently shred the meat off the bone. Reserve the bones and the garlic for use later

• Keep the duck fat. Once cooled I pour it back in the jar which you can then use again to confit or to make flavoured roast potatoes

For the pie filling

• 2 carrots chopped

• 1 medium onion chopped

• 2 sticks celery chopped

• 1 small leek chopped

• 2 sprigs thyme leaves picked

• 1 sprig rosemary leaves finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves finely chopped

• 300ml gluten free stock

• 60gm lentils verde

• A little of the fat from the duck confit legs

Method

• Place all the ingredients with the exception of the lentils and stock into a saucepan and gently sauté for about 3 minutes until the onions are just clear

• Add the lentils and the stock, bring to the boil and turn to simmer for 20-25 minutes until lentils are tender

• Remove from heat and gently fold in the the shredded duck confit leg meat

• Taste and season with salt and pepper as appropriate

• Place in a roasting dish 25x18cm and evenly distribute across the bottom

For the mash

• 700gm King Edward potato

• 50gm butter

• 100gm double cream

Method

• Whilst the filling is cooking peel and chop the potatoes, place in saucepan cover with salted cold water and bring to the boil and simmer until tender

• Drain the potatoes and mash adding the cloves of garlic (reserved from the confit the butter) and double cream. Season and use to cover the pie filling

• Use a fork to create peaks and swirls on the top of the pie and place in a preheated oven 180c for around 30 minutes until the pie is golden and sizzling around the edges

• Remove from oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes

• Perfect with a dark green vegetable or broccoli

More…

• Jane Devonshire’s apricot and almond cake tatin recipe - MasterChef winner Jane Devonshire shares her apricot and almond cake tatin recipe