Slow-cooked wild duck

Serves 4 to 5

400g dried haricot beans, soaked overnight in cold water
300g piece boneless belly pork, skinned
3 tbsps goose or duck fat
2 onions, finely sliced
2 wild duck, jointed
4 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ tsp ground cloves
4 bay leaves
Several sprigs thyme
500ml chicken or
game stock
25g parsley, chopped, plus extra for sprinkling
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Step 1) Drain the beans and put in a saucepan with plenty of cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 15 minutes. Drain.

Step 2) Preheat the oven to 170ºC/325ºF/Gas 3. Cut the pork into small pieces. Heat the fat in a large frying pan and fry the pork and onions for about 10 minutes or until deep golden. Tip into a large casserole dish. Fry the duck portions in the pan until deep golden on all sides and add to the casserole with the beans, garlic, cloves, bay leaves and thyme. Drain off half the fat from the frying pan.

Step 3) Pour the stock into the frying pan and bring to the boil. Add to the casserole dish. Cover and cook in the oven for about 1¾ hours or until the duck is very tender and the juices have thickened, stirring in the parsley after 1 hour and topping up with a dash of boiling water if the casserole no longer looks juicy. Check the seasoning and leave to stand for 15 minutes before serving scattered with extra parsley. Serve with roast potatoes and seasonal greens.

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Chosen by Country Homes & Gardens