Meat mains
Duck confit
This French classic is not quick, but it's very easy to make. It requires a day of salting, and the confit is best if you keep it in the fridge for several weeks to allow the flavours to develop. Crisp the ducks legs up in a hot pan before serving. Eat simply with puy lentils or sautéed potatoes and braised cabbage, in a cassoulet or flaked into a cold salad.
Ingredients
- 4 duck legs
- 4 tbsp sea salt
- black pepper
- leaves from 1 sprig thyme
- 2 bay leaves, roughly torn into small pieces
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 750g duck or goose fat
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
Method
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Step 1
Place the duck legs in a dish, skin side down. Sprinkle over the salt, pepper, thyme leaves, bay leaves and chopped garlic. Weigh the legs down with a plate with an old weight or a couple of bean tins on top. Put in the fridge for at least 12 hours, 24 if you can.
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Step 2
Remove the duck, brush or rinse off the salt and herbs, pat the duck dry with kitchen paper and discard any liquid in the dish. Preheat oven to 120°C/Gas ½.
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Step 3
In a heavy-based flameproof casserole dish, heat the fat very gently to melt it. Add the duck legs to the pan, with the sprigs of thyme and garlic. The duck must be completely covered with the fat.
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Step 4
Transfer to the oven and cook for about 3 hours, until the duck is meltingly tender. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly. Strain the fat through a sieve. Put the duck legs into a clean storage container. Pour just enough of the leftover fat over the duck legs to cover them. Allow to cool completely, then cover and put in the fridge.
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Step 5
The duck can be kept in the fridge until needed. To serve, scrape off any fat and serve cold or reheat by frying in a little of the scraped off fat on both sides for a few minutes until crispy, or pop in a baking dish and roast for 20- 25 minutes in a hot oven to crisp the skin.
