Confit Duck

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  Our guest Chef, Kevin Hague, presents this delectable dish for your enjoyment. Confit duck takes a little time, but the recipe is simplicity itself. The end result is worth the wait. Once you have eaten duck cooked this way you will never want it it any other way. A veritable taste explosion, that melts in your mouth!

 

Ingredients

  • 8 duck legs
  • 1 bunch of fresh thyme
  • 4 bay leaves , torn into pieces
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 50g coarse salt
  • 1 bulb garlic, split into cloves, and squashed
  • 350g duck or goose fat

Method

  1. In a food processor whizz the thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, coriander seeds and salt  to break up the spices a bit.
  2. Put the mix into a roasting tin and lay the duck legs on top, skin-side down. Cover with cling-film and chill overnight.
  3. Heat the oven to 150°C/Fan 130°C/gas 2.
  4. Remove the duck legs from the salt and rinse them well. Put into a heavy casserole dish in which they will fit very snugly - the tighter the fit the less fat you will need - and tuck in the garlic cloves.
  5. Add the fat, put a lid on the dish and put it in the oven for 20 minutes or until the fat has melted. Check it at this point and, if you need to, top it up with more fat until the duck is almost covered - it will give off its own fat and raise the level as it cooks.
  6. Put a sheet of greaseproof paper over the casserole and put the lid back on.
  7. Cook for 2 ½ hours or until the meat almost falls off the bone.
  8. Transfer the duck to an airtight plastic container, ceramic or glass bowl or large glass jar and pour over the fat.
  9. Cool well, cover tightly and keep in the fridge. It will keep for up to one month.
  10. To serve, heat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/ gas 6.
  11. Lift the duck legs out of the fat, scrape off as much as you can and put them skin-side down in a roasting tin.
  12. Cook for 30 minutes, turning once until browned and crisp.
  13. Serve with Puy lentils cooked with vegetables, as we have done a white bean cassoulet.

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