Duck with lentils and red cabbage

Ingredients

• 3 small garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 120 g red cabbage, finely shredded
• 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/3 cup (70 g) French-style lentils
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
• 2 (about 200 g each) duck marylands
• 1 small leek, pale section only, coarsely chopped
• 1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 small brown onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup (250 ml) duck or chicken stock
• 8 dried juniper berries
• 2 fresh or dried bay leaves
• 8 black peppercorns
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 cup (250 ml) cabernet sauvignon wine

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Preparation

• Finely chop 1 garlic clove. Place in a bowl with vinegar, 1 1/2 tablespoon oil, cabbage, red onion, sugar and sea salt. Combine and season with pepper. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, cook lentils in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 16-18 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Add hot lentils to cabbage mixture. Stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 40 minutes or until cool. Drain off excess liquid, stir through parsley.
• Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat remaining oil in a small flameproof casserole pan over high heat. Season duck. Cook, skin-side down, for 2-4 minutes or until browned. Turn and cook for 2 minutes.
• Transfer duck to a plate. Add leek, carrot, brown onion and remaining garlic to pan and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until browned. Return duck to pan, skin-side up, then add stock, 4 juniper berries, bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme. Cook for 1 hour. Remove duck from pan and cover with foil.
• Strain liquid into a bowl. Discard solids. Set aside to cool, then place in fridge for 1 hour or until fat forms on top of stock. Use a spoon to skim fat off. Discard fat.
• Combine wine and remaining juniper berries in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 8 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup (60ml). Add 1 cup (250ml) stock and cook for 10-12 minutes or until reduced to 1/3 cup (80ml). Meanwhile, reheat duck legs in oven with remaining stock for 10 minutes.
• Divide cabbage mixture among serving plates. Top with duck and red wine sauce.