Duck Legs with Judicon Beans and Chorizo

A recipe with a Spanish influence. It takes advantage of the many good products available from supermarket shelves but feel free to prepare everything from scratch!

Serves 4

• 4 Gressingham Duck Legs
• 125ml Red Wine
• 250ml Chicken Stock
• 1 Onion, diced
• 75g Diced Chorizo Sausage
• 50ml Olive Oil
• 40g Unsalted Butter
• 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped finely
• 300g Bottled Judicon Beans (or other pre-cooked butter beans), rinsed
• 4 Bay Leaves
• 1 Bottled Roasted Red Pepper, diced
• 1tbs Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped
• Sweet Smoked Paprika
• 50g Pre-washed Salad Spinach
• 2tsp Sherry Vinegar
• Salt, Black Pepper

1. Heat an oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7. 

2. Prick the duck legs all over with a sharp fork. Season them with salt, pepper and paprika. Put them skin up in a roasting tray, that can be used on the hob, lightly oiled with 1tsp oil. 

3. Put them in the oven for 15-20 minutes depending on size. 

4. Take the legs out. Pour off the fat. Turn them skin down. Reduce the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. 

5. Return the duck to the oven for another 15-20 minutes. 

6. Take the legs out. Pour off the fat. Turn them skin up and pour the wine and 125ml of stock into the tray. 

7. Reduce the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Return the duck to the oven for another 15-20 minutes. 

8. Remove the duck from the pan and keep warm. Put the pan on the hob and reduce the juices to a sauce consistency. Season.

9. While the duck legs roast, sweat the onion and chorizo in 1tbsp oil and 15g butter in a saucepan until the onion is soft. Add 3/4 of the garlic and fry for a minute. 

10. Add the beans, bay and 125ml stock. Simmer gently, with the lid ajar, until most of the stock has gone. Season.

11. Just before serving, make a dressing with the remaining 1/4 of garlic, the vinegar, 2tbsp oil and seasoning. Dress the spinach leaves with this, just to moisten. 

12. Re-heat the beans, remove the bay leaves and stir in the red pepper and parsley. Reheat the sauce and whisk in 25g butter.

13. Put some beans on each serving plate. Put some spinach on top. Put a duck leg on top of that. Pour the sauce around.

This recipe was submitted by MARTIN BENTON to our summer recipe competition and won FIRST PRIZE - well done Martin