Main Dish
Duck Confit
La Crema Tasting Room
235 Healdsburg Ave
Healdsburg, CA 95448
lacrema.com
- RECIPE YEAR: 2013
- RECIPE BY: La Crema Estate Culinary Team
- YIELD: Serves 6
- PAIRS WELL WITH: La Crema Pinot Noir
Use this flavorful duck confit in your favorite dishes, such as duck rillettes, stew, pasta or seared with a frisée salad. We pair it with Pinot Noir, as the earthiness of the wine is wonderful with the richness of the duck. Start this dish one day in advance.
Ingredients:
- 6 duck legs, with thighs attached
- 1/2 pound kosher salt
- 5 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1/4 pound sugar
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon juniper berries
- 1 quart duck fat
Directions:
Place the duck legs in a nonreactive perforated container. Evenly distribute the legs and coat them with the salt, thyme, peppercorns, sugar, fennel seeds, bay leaf and juniper berries. Cover the legs with plastic wrap and place a weight on top of the wrap. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, preheat the oven to 275°F. Rinse the duck legs with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place the duck legs in a baking pan and cover them with the duck fat. Cover the pan with aluminum foil, transfer to the oven and cook until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove the duck from the oven and let it cool. Pick the meat off the bones, discarding the bones, fat, skin and gristle, and shred the meat with 2 forks. Serve the confit immediately, with your favorite dishes, or store it, covered with melted duck fat, in the refrigerator.
