Duck leg lasagne

Method

• step 1

  Use a sharp knife to remove the skin and fat from the duck legs (try not to remove any meat). Set the skin and fat aside in a bowl. Drizzle each duck leg with a little oil and season with salt. Heat a large flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat and brown the duck legs for about 4-5 mins on each side until deeply golden. Remove from the pan. Pour in a splash of water and scrape up all the golden bits, then scatter in the onions, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook for 15 mins until the vegetables have softened.

• step 2

  Add the tomato purée and garlic and cook for 2-3 mins more over a medium heat, stirring until the tomato purée is dark red. Pour in the wine and bubble until reduced by half, about 10-15 mins.

• step 3

  Pour in the chicken stock and tomatoes. Add all the herbs (if you have kitchen string, tie them together in a bundle first, as this will make them easier to remove later). Stir in the star anise and season. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and nestle in the duck legs. Scrunch up a large piece of baking parchment, rinse under the tap and squeeze out the excess water. Put this on top of the duck ragu, then cover with the lid.

• step 4

  Simmer gently for 1 hr 30 mins-2 hrs until the meat comes off the bone very easily. Remove the lid and baking parchment, turn up the heat and cook for 30 mins more to thicken and reduce the sauce. When the ragu is cooked, shred the duck using two forks, and remove and discard the bones. Scoop out the herbs and star anise using a slotted spoon and discard.

• step 5

  While the ragu cooks, make the béchamel. Melt the butter in a deep saucepan over a medium heat and, once foaming, scatter in the flour and stir into a paste using a spatula. Whisk in the milk, a little at a time, until you have a smooth sauce. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes to thicken, then remove from the heat. Whisk in the mascarpone, lemon zest, nutmeg, Dijon and parmesan until the mascarpone has melted. Season.

• step 6

  Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. For the topping, put the reserved duck skin and fat in a cold frying pan. Season lightly with salt. Turn the heat to low-medium and cook for 8-10 mins (be careful, as it will spit) until very crisp. Drain on kitchen paper. Finely chop, then mix with the panko, chives and 2 tbsp of the fat from the pan.

• step 7

  To assemble, put three lasagne sheets in a deep roasting dish (ours was roughly 30 x 20cm), then top with a layer of ragu, then a layer of béchamel. Repeat, finishing with a layer of béchamel. Sprinkle over the topping, then bake for 35-40 mins. Leave to cool for 10 mins before slicing.