Capreolus’ Duck Confit recently won 2 stars at the Great Taste Awards 2020, so why not give it a try in this cottage pie recipe from the team who created it?

This cottage pie is a winter warmer and goes amazingly with some Dorset produced cheese!

What you will need:

• 2 packs of Capreolus duck confit (4 legs)
• 1 onion chopped finely
• 100g chestnut mushrooms sliced
• Fresh thyme (few sprigs use only leaves finely chopped)
• Black pepper ground
• 175ml red wine
• 200ml chicken stock
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1kg potatoes (floury varieties like King Edwards or Russet)
• 250ml warm milk
• 60g butter
• 200g grated cheddar (we like Ford Farm Coastal Cheddar)
• 4 whole cloves garlic

Pick up the duck confit from Capreolus here. You can get yourself locally sourced veg, potatoes and cheese from producers across the county. Why not also pick up some local milk and butter to really give it the taste of Dorset?! 

Method
Preheat oven to 210C/190C Fan/Gas 6–7

• Separate the duck legs from the duck fat and jelly (add the jelly to the stock and keep some fat for the recipe. The remaining fat can be stored and used another time for roast potatoes).
• Remove the skin and bones. Discard. Shred the meat. Put to one side
• Warm a little of the duck fat in the pan and gently cook the onion until soft and golden. Add the thyme and mushrooms and cook down until most of the water has gone.
• Season with ground black pepper
• Add the wine, stock and any jelly that was in the pack
• Bring to the boil and cook for a few minutes to reduce slightly
• Add the parsley and all the chopped duck meat. Combine and put into a greased pie dish.
• Boil the potatoes together with the whole garlic cloves until the potatoes are soft (approx. 20-25 minutes)
• Remove the garlic and take off the skins. The garlic can be put into a pan with the milk and warmed through (do not boil)
• Mash the potatoes with the warm milk and garlic until smooth. Season lightly (remember there is salt in the duck and the cheddar)
• Top the pie with the mashed potatoes and sprinkle the cheese over the top
• Bake in the oven for approx. 25 minutes until the top is golden brown and the pie is bubbling