Confit of Duck
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INGREDIENTS
Serves 8
For the salting:
8 large duck legs
6oz (175g) sea salt
For the cooking and preserving:
3 x 12oz (340g) tins goose fat
8 cloves garlic, bruised with the back of a knife (no need to peel)
20 black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
3/4oz (20g) fresh thyme sprigs
4 bay leaves each cut into 2 pieces
For the sauce:
14 fl oz (400ml) port
4oz (110g) dried cherries
2oz (50g) golden granulated sugar
2 tablespoons good quality red wine vinegar
You will also need a 6 pint (3.5 litre) lidded casserole dish and a plastic container measuring 10 x 10 inches (25.5 x 25.5 cm) and 3 inches (7.5 cm) deep.
METHOD
- Rub the salt into the duck legs and place them in the plastic container so that they fit in one layer. Sprinkle the remaining salt over the legs and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 275F/140C/gas mark 1.
- Put the goose fat into the casserole dish and heat gently.
- Wash the duck legs under cold running water and then place them in a large bowl filled with cold water. Drain them off, wash under cold water for a second time and again place them in a bowl of fresh cold water (this is in order to wash off all of the salt).
- Drain the duck legs off and pat dry with kitchen paper. Then place them in the warmed goose fat along with the bruised garlic, peppercorns, thyme and bay leaves.
- Bring the casserole up to simmering point, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 2 1/2 hours. To check if the duck legs are cooked, push a small skewer into the flesh which should meet very little resistance.
- Allow the dish to cool for about an hour before removing the duck legs from the goose fat and placing in the (washed and dried) plastic container. Strain the cooled fat over the duck legs and leave to cool completely. Cover the container and refrigerate until required.
The above stages of this duck recipe can be prepared up to 4 weeks in advance.
To make the sauce:
- Place the port, dried cherries, sugar and wine vinegar in a medium size saucepan.
- Bring the pan up to a gentle simmer, give it a good stir and let it simmer VERY slowly without a lid for 40 to 45 minutes stirring it from time to time.
- The liquid should be reduced until there is only about 4 tablespoons left.
The sauce for this duck recipe can be prepared several days in advance as long as it is refrigerated in a covered container.
When you are ready to serve:
- Preheat the oven to 425F/220C, gas mark 7.
- About an hour before cooking, remove the duck legs from the goose fat scraping off most of the fat and allow to come up to room temperature.
- Place the duck legs onto a wire rack, resting on a roasting tin, skin side upwards and then roast for 20 to 25 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden and the meat has heated through.
- Serve the duck legs with a little of the reheated cherry sauce spooned over.
An excellent side dish for this confit would be my Potato and Vegetable au gratin.
The goose fat from this duck recipe need not go to waste......kept refrigerated, it is a versatile frying medium and excellent for roasting the cripiest, crunchiest roast potatoes!
It can also be used up to 3 times further for another confit.
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