Lentils de Puy have the best texture, but other green lentils work too. Pre-cooked duck confit is available at quality butchers and some supermarkets. All you have to do is put it in the oven to crisp. Serve with a small frisée salad on the side.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped celery

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1½ cups green lentils

1 bay leaf

4 thyme sprigs

4 cups chicken stock or water

4 pieces duck confit legs

6 cups baby spinach

3 tablespoons orange juice

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Place oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery and garlic and sauté until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add lentils and sauté for 1 minute. Add bay leaf, thyme and stock and bring to boil.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are cooked, about 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover pot for last 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain off any excess liquid. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf and reserve lentils.

Heat a large non-stick, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat while lentils are cooking. Add duck legs, skin-side down, and cook for 2 minutes or until brown and starting to crisp. Turn legs over, place skillet in oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until duck is hot and skin is crisp.

Remove duck from pan. Cover skillet handle with an oven glove while finishing lentils so as not to burn yourself on the hot handle. Add spinach into any duck fat in pan and toss for 1 minute or until wilted. Add reserved lentils and orange juice and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until hot. Season well with salt and pepper.

Place lentils on a plate and top with duck confit. Sprinkle with parsley. Serves 4.