Stranger Foods

Duck with five-spice, marsala and puy lentils

Serves 4 | Prep 25 mins | Cook 7 hr

Duck and Chinese five-spice are a great flavour combination in Asian-style dishes, but they also work with humble root veg and lentils in a brilliant winter warmer dish for cooler climes.

Source: Foolproof Slowcooker: 60 Essential Recipes that Make the Most of Your Slow Cooker

Ingredients

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Imperial

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4 duck breasts
2½ tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
a drizzle of olive oil, if needed
2 red onions, sliced into wedges
220 g dried Puy lentils
500 g parsnips, peeled and diced
500 g carrots, peeled and diced
1 lamb or chicken stock pot
100 ml Marsala or Madeira wine
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
green beans or salad, to serve

Instructions

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Preheat the slow cooker.
With a sharp knife, cut several slashes through the fat on top of the duck breasts. Sprinkle about half of the five-spice over the duck breasts and rub in so that they are seasoned all over. Place the duck breasts, skin-side down, into a dry nonstick frying pan and set over a medium-high heat. As the pan heats up, it should start to render some of the fat from the duck. Once the skins have browned, turn the breasts over and cook for a few minutes on the other sides until browned all over. Remove from the pan with tongs.
If there’s not much fat in the pan, add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the onions and cook for a few minutes until softened and picking up some colour, then transfer them to the slow cooker. Add the lentils, parsnips, carrots and the rest of the five-spice and stir everything together.
Dissolve the stock pot in 300 ml boiling water and pour into the slow cooker. Add the wine and season with salt and pepper, then place the duck breasts into the slow cooker, pop the lid on and cook for on LOW, or on HIGH, until the duck and lentils are really tender. Check the seasoning, then serve with green beans or salad.

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