Duck Confit

Duck Confit is a very popular french dish, developed during a time when preserving meat was a seasonal necessity.  The word “Confit” is derivative of the French verb confire, “to preserve.” To confit, is to slow cook meat it in it’s own fat, leaving you with EXTREMELY tender meat.

Traditionally, and still common in parts of France and other regions, the confit was preserved in glass jars and saved for winter consumption.  For my take on the dish I won’t make you wait until Christmas to consume, unless, that is, you absolutely want to.

Hope you enjoy!

Begin by adding 2-3 tbsps of chopped tarragon to a mixing bowl.

Add 2-3 tbsp chopped italian parsley…

…1 crushed star anise…

…1 crushed clove of garlic…

…1 tbsp of fresh cracked black pepper…

…1/4 cup of salt…

…and 2 tbsps of sugar.

“Crush” the ingredients together, releasing loads of flavor from the herbs and spices.

Add the duck legs to the seasoned salt mixture (curing salt) and thoroughly rub the flavorings into the skin and flesh sides.

After 5 minutes or so of rubbing, cover the duck legs with the remaining curing salt…

…and cover with plastic or a damp towel, and set in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Remove the lightly cured duck legs from the fridge and lightly rinse off the excess salt and flavorings.

Place the duck legs onto a dry towel to blot off excess moisture.

Place the cured duck legs into a 2-3 inch deep baking tray and cover the legs with rendered duck fat.

Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and bake in a 300f oven for 2 hours.

Once the duck legs are very tender, take them our of the oven and allow to cool in the baking container for 30 minutes – 1 hour.

Once cool enough to handle, take them out of the fat and onto a plate or tray, cover with plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Once the duck has chilled completely, get a medium sautee pan on medium-high heat and add one of the duck legs skin side down into the pan.

Crisp the skin on one side and turn it over to cook for another 5 minutes until the duck starts to become tender and hot in the center….

Take it out of the pan and place onto dry paper towel to blot of excess grease.

In a small mixing bowl add watercress and shaved fennel.

Mix in whole grain mustard…

…sherry vinegar…

… and olive oil.

Season with a little salt and pepper.

Place the salad into a bowl and top with the crispy duck leg and ENJOY!!!

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| Top Left: Glass Bowl Set | Top Right: Baking Dish |