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Crispy skin duck leg served over Puy lentils with bacon lardons and carrot on a ceramic plate

French Bistro Crispy Duck Leg with Lentils and Bacon

Pan-seared, oven-finished duck legs with crackling skin served over Puy lentils braised with bacon, carrot, and thyme.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: French
Calories: 640
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Duck
  • 4 duck legs, bone-in, skin-on (about 250-300 g each)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
Lentils and Bacon
  • 150 g bacon lardons or thick-cut bacon, diced
  • 1 yellow onion, diced medium
  • 1 carrot, diced medium
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 200 g dried Puy or green lentils rinsed
  • 600 ml chicken stock low-sodium
  • 2 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Method
 

Prepare and Sear the Duck
  1. Pat duck legs dry and score the skin in a tight crosshatch, cutting through the fat but not into the meat.
  2. Season both sides with salt and pepper, then place duck legs skin-side down in a cold, oven-safe skillet.
  3. Set the skillet over medium-low heat and let the fat render slowly for 12-15 minutes, until the skin is deep golden and most of the fat has pooled in the pan.
  4. Flip the duck legs and sear the flesh side for 2 minutes.
  5. Transfer the skillet to a 190 C / 375 F oven, skin-side up, and roast for 20-25 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165 F / 74 C and the skin is crisp.
  6. Remove duck legs from the skillet, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 5 minutes while you finish the lentils. Reserve 2 tbsp of the rendered duck fat.
Cook the Bacon and Lentils
  1. While the duck roasts, cook the bacon lardons in a medium saucepan over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
  2. Add the reserved duck fat, onion, carrot, and celery to the saucepan and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
  3. Stir in garlic and lentils, then add chicken stock, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer.
  4. Cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape and most of the liquid has absorbed.
  5. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs, stir the bacon back in, and deglaze with sherry vinegar, scraping up any browned bits.
  6. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the butter, and finish with chopped parsley.
Plate
  1. Spoon the warm lentils onto plates and set a crispy duck leg on top of each portion. Serve right away while the skin is still crackling.

Notes

  • Render duck fat slowly on low heat or the skin burns before it crisps.
  • Use dried Puy lentils, not canned, so they don't turn mushy.
  • Save leftover duck fat for roasting potatoes another night.
  • Deglaze with sherry vinegar right after cooking to lift the browned bits.