DUCK CONFIT and RILLETTES

DUCK CONFIT and RILLETTES 

4 domestic duck leg portions with thighs attached (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon quartre epices
8 garlic cloves, peeled and mashed
8 bay leaves
4 cups olive oil, melted lard or duck fat
Toast points or croutons for serving
1 tablespoons Dijon or Creole mustard
1/4 cup minced red onions for serving

Lay the leg portions on a platter with the skin side down. Sprinkle half of the salt and quartre epices on the leg portions. Flip and season with the remaining salt and quartre epices. Arrange the leg portions, skin side up, in one layer in a shallow glass or plastic container. Spread the mashed garlic pieces and the bay leaves evenly over the leg portions. Cover and refrigerate eight to 12 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Remove the duck from the refrigerator. Remove the garlic and bay leaves and set aside.
Rinse the duck with cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Put the reserved garlic and bay leaves in the bottom of an enameled cast-iron pot. Lay the ducks on top, skin side down. Add the oil, lard or duck fat and cover the pot with a lid. Bake until the meat pulls away from the bones, 3 to 4 hours. Remove the duck from the fat. Strain the fat and reserve.

Pick the meat from the bones and place it in a stoneware container. Cover the meat with some of the strained fat making a 1/4-inch layer. It can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to one month.

To serve, remove the duck from the container, wiping off excess fat. Heat the duck pieces in a skillet until warmed through. Shred the meat and serve with toast points or croutons. Drizzle with Dijon mustard and sprinkle with finely chopped red onions.


Duck Rillettes
Makes about 2-1/4 cups

1 recipe Duck Confit (above)
1/4 cup minced yellow onions
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 tablespoon Cognac
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperaturer
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fat reserved from the confit

Combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse once or twice to blend. The texture should be like finely chopped meat. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container, drizzled with some of the fat, in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Serve on crackers, toast points or croutons.

I like serving it also with a red onion confiture.