Roast Duck & Duchess Potatoes Banquet

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7 and boil a full kettle

Peel your potatoes, then slice into thick discs

Add the sliced potatoes and bay leaf[ves] to a pot with plenty of boiled water and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 13-15 min or until very tender

Meanwhile, top, tail, peel and chop your carrot[s] into batons

Peel and chop your shallots in half

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Add the halved shallots to a baking paper-lined baking tray (or two!) and top with your duck leg[s] and white duck fat (reserve the duck jelly for later!)

Add the carrot batons to the other side, then put the tray[s] in the oven for an initial 15 min

Once the potatoes are tender, drain and return to the pot with a knob of butter (1 per person!), a splash of milk, a very generous pinch of salt and pepper and mash until smooth

Separate the egg yolk[s] from the white[s] by cracking your egg[s] over a small bowl and catching the yolk in the shell

Add the egg yolk[s] (save the white[s] for another recipe!) and chopped garlic to the mashed potatoes and give everything a good mix up until well combined – this is your potato mix

Transfer the potato mix to a small oven-proof dish (reserve the pot!) and discard the bay leaf[ves]

Press the back of a spoon into the mix to make rows of ridges

Put the dish in oven and cook for 15-20 min or until slightly crispy and golden – these are your duchess potatoes

Reboil half a kettle

Trim your green beans

Once the duck leg[s] have had an initial 15 min, remove the tray[s] from the oven and add the trimmed green beans

Return the tray[s] to the oven and cook for a further 10 min

Wipe the reserved pot clean and add your cornflour and a splash of cold water and mix until fully combined

Return the pot to a medium heat with 150ml [195ml] [250ml] boiled water, your stock mix, red wine paste, redcurrant jelly and the reserved duck jelly with a generous pinch of salt

Bring to the boil and cook for 3-4 min or until thickened – this is your red wine & duck jus

Once the green beans have had 10 min, remove the tray[s] from the oven and add your walnuts

Return the tray[s] to the oven and cook for a final 3-4 min or until the walnuts are toasted and the duck leg[s] are golden and crispy – this is your roast duck, confit shallots, roast veg & toasted walnuts

Tip: Watch the walnuts like a hawk to make sure they don't burn!