the breast, and pound with a meat pounder, flat-bottom wine bottle, or rolling pin to an even thickness, about ½ in/12 mm. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
On a dinner plate, or in a large, shallow dish, combine the flour, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Dredge the chicken in the flour, and sauté on each side, until it turns white. Transfer the chicken to the insert of a 5-to 7-quart/4.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker as it is cooked. Add the garlic, lemon juice and zest, broth, paprika, and capers to the butter and oil in the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, and then pour the mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour, or on low for 2 hours, until the chicken is cooked through.
Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker using tongs, arrange on a serving platter, and cover with aluminum foil. Pour the sauce into a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Taste for seasoning and add salt or pepper if necessary. Pour some of the sauce over the chicken and serve, passing the remaining sauce on the side.
Duck Tagine with Dried Fruits
This tagine takes advantage of dried fruit for its flavors: The combination of apricots and dates gives a nice balance of sweet and tart, enhanced by the ginger and cinnamon in the rich sauce. Instead of the couscous, you can also serve this over fragrant basmati pilaf.
SERVES 6
One 4-lb/1.8-kg duck, cut into serving pieces or quarters
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp/60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
3 large onions, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
Pinch of saffron threads, crushed in the palm of you hand
1 cup/240 ml chicken broth
1 cup/240 ml beef broth
1 cup/170 g pitted dates, quartered
1 cup/170 g dried apricots, quartered
¼ cup/15 g finely chopped fresh cilantro
Couscous , for serving
Sprinkle the duck pieces evenly with the salt and pepper, rubbing them into the duck. Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the duck, a few pieces at a time, transferring the browned meat to the insert of a 5- to 7-qt/4.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker. Add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil to the skillet and sauté the onions, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and saffron until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, bring to a boil, and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow cooker, and add the beef broth, dates, and apricots. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, until the duck is tender.
Using tongs or a large spatula, transfer the duck to a serving platter and cover with aluminum foil. Skim off any excess fat from the sauce, stir in the cilantro, and return the duck to the cooker. Serve with couscous.
Duck Confit
The prize of the Périgord region of southwestern France, duck confit is slowcooked in duck fat and preserved in the same fat. The preparation is sometimes a laborious process for the home cook, but the slow cooker takes care of the work, so you can enjoy the day. The duck can be removed from the fat and shredded to use in salads and other dishes. My favorite way to prepare it is to roast the confit briefly in a hot oven, which yields crispy skin (my favorite part!) and tender meat. Serve the duck with Sarlat potatoes, which are fried in duck fat!
SERVES 6
6 duck legs (about 3 lb/1.4 kg total)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp herbes de Provence Slow Cooker Savvy
3 lb/1.4 kg duck fat (see Slow Cooker Savvy)
Rinse the duck legs in cold water and pat dry. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence to make a paste and rub half of the mixture into the duck. Cover the duck legs and the remaining rub and refrigerate overnight.
Melt the duck fat in the insert of a 5- to 7-qt/4.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker on low and stir in the
On a dinner plate, or in a large, shallow dish, combine the flour, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Dredge the chicken in the flour, and sauté on each side, until it turns white. Transfer the chicken to the insert of a 5-to 7-quart/4.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker as it is cooked. Add the garlic, lemon juice and zest, broth, paprika, and capers to the butter and oil in the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, and then pour the mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour, or on low for 2 hours, until the chicken is cooked through.
Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker using tongs, arrange on a serving platter, and cover with aluminum foil. Pour the sauce into a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Taste for seasoning and add salt or pepper if necessary. Pour some of the sauce over the chicken and serve, passing the remaining sauce on the side.
Duck Tagine with Dried Fruits
This tagine takes advantage of dried fruit for its flavors: The combination of apricots and dates gives a nice balance of sweet and tart, enhanced by the ginger and cinnamon in the rich sauce. Instead of the couscous, you can also serve this over fragrant basmati pilaf.
SERVES 6
One 4-lb/1.8-kg duck, cut into serving pieces or quarters
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp/60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
3 large onions, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
Pinch of saffron threads, crushed in the palm of you hand
1 cup/240 ml chicken broth
1 cup/240 ml beef broth
1 cup/170 g pitted dates, quartered
1 cup/170 g dried apricots, quartered
¼ cup/15 g finely chopped fresh cilantro
Couscous , for serving
Sprinkle the duck pieces evenly with the salt and pepper, rubbing them into the duck. Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the duck, a few pieces at a time, transferring the browned meat to the insert of a 5- to 7-qt/4.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker. Add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil to the skillet and sauté the onions, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and saffron until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, bring to a boil, and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow cooker, and add the beef broth, dates, and apricots. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, until the duck is tender.
Using tongs or a large spatula, transfer the duck to a serving platter and cover with aluminum foil. Skim off any excess fat from the sauce, stir in the cilantro, and return the duck to the cooker. Serve with couscous.
Duck Confit
The prize of the Périgord region of southwestern France, duck confit is slowcooked in duck fat and preserved in the same fat. The preparation is sometimes a laborious process for the home cook, but the slow cooker takes care of the work, so you can enjoy the day. The duck can be removed from the fat and shredded to use in salads and other dishes. My favorite way to prepare it is to roast the confit briefly in a hot oven, which yields crispy skin (my favorite part!) and tender meat. Serve the duck with Sarlat potatoes, which are fried in duck fat!
SERVES 6
6 duck legs (about 3 lb/1.4 kg total)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp herbes de Provence Slow Cooker Savvy
3 lb/1.4 kg duck fat (see Slow Cooker Savvy)
Rinse the duck legs in cold water and pat dry. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence to make a paste and rub half of the mixture into the duck. Cover the duck legs and the remaining rub and refrigerate overnight.
Melt the duck fat in the insert of a 5- to 7-qt/4.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker on low and stir in the
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