Duck Confit
A classic French duck confit where duck legs are cured with salt, garlic and herbs, slow-poached in white wine, then finished in the oven until tender and crisp. Served with gravy, a crisp salad and potatoes.
Steps
- 1
One day before serving: scatter half the salt, half the garlic and half the herbs over the base of a shallow dish. Lay the duck legs, skin-side up, on top, then scatter over the remaining salt, garlic and herbs. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- 2
Next day: rinse off the salt from the duck legs and place them, skin-side down, in a pan of wine that fits in a single layer. Cover and simmer over medium heat; as soon as the wine bubbles, reduce to the lowest heat and cook for 2 hours, keeping the liquid barely at a simmer.
- 3
Cool the duck legs in their fat. They can be stored in fat in a container for up to a month (or frozen for up to 3 months).
- 4
To reheat and crisp (optional): preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Remove the legs from the fat and place skin-side down in an ovenproof skillet. Roast 30-40 minutes, turning halfway, until brown and crisp. Serve with reheated gravy, a crisp salad and crispy potatoes.
