remaining rub. Rinse the duck legs in cold water, pat dry, and add to the fat. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the duck is cooked through and tender.
Carefully transfer the duck legs to a platter, and cover with aluminum foil. Allow the fat to cool slightly, and strain through cheesecloth into a large airtight container. Submerge the duck legs in the fat and let cool. Refrigerate until the fat congeals, or up to 1 month.
To warm the confit and crisp the skin, preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/gas 6. Remove the legs from the fat, scraping any excess back into the container. Place the legs on a rack in a roasting pan, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the skin is crispy. If the skin still isn’t crisped to your liking, run it under the broiler for 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immedaitely.
SLOW COOKER SAVVY
Duck is becoming more readily available in markets, but if you are having a hard time finding duck or duck fat, D’Artagnan sells high-quality duck fat and ducks online Resources .
Duck confit should be cooked only on low and only in a good-quality slow cooker. Inexpensive slow cookers run hotter and will burn the fat, giving it a rancid odor and flavor. The fat should only bubble around the edges of the pan, and not be at a rolling boil.
Duck Cassoulet
Cassoulet is a hearty winter dish from the southwestern region of France. There is much discussion about the ingredients necessary for a proper cassoulet, but the flavors depend on the cook and the region in which it’s prepared. In the Languedoc area of Castelnaudary, cassoulet is a pig fest, featuring sausages, pork, and ham, as well large white beans. Here, I’ve called for duck legs for an added dimension of flavor. It’s a grand recipe to make in the slow cooker, a delicious one-pot party dish to serve when it’s cold outside. You will need a 6- to 7-qt/5.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker for this meal. Start this dish the night before so the beans have time to cook.
SERVES 6 TO 8
1 lb/455 g dried large white beans
6 tbsp/90 ml extra-virgin olive oil
8 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-in/2.5-cm pieces
1½ lb/680 g kielbasa (smoked Polish sausage), cut into rounds
2½ lb/1.2 kg pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed, and cut into 1-in/2.5-cm pieces
4 duck legs, skin and any excess fat removed
2 large onions, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
One 28- to 32-oz/800- to 910-g can chopped tomatoes, with their juice
1½ cups/360 ml dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, or dry vermouth
4 cups/960 ml chicken broth
2 cups/480 ml beef broth
¼ cup/60 ml demi-glace or soup base
1½ cups/85 g fresh bread crumbs
½ cup/60 g finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
½ cup/30 g finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Salt (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
In a colander, rinse the beans in cold water, picking them over and discarding any broken beans, stones, or dirt. Put the beans in a large bowl and add enough water to cover by at least 2 in/5 cm. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to soak overnight. When ready to use, rinse the beans thoroughly and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil over medium-high heat, and sauté the bacon until it is crisp. Transfer to the insert of a 6- to 7-qt/5.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker. Add the sausage to the skillet and render some of its fat, transferring it to the insert of the slow cooker when browned. Brown the pork shoulder in the skillet, a few pieces at a time, transferring them to the slow cooker when done. Brown the duck legs on all sides, and add to the slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker to low and cover.
In the same skillet, sauté the onions, two-thirds of the garlic, the thyme, and bay leaves for 5 minutes, or until the onions become softened. Add the tomatoes and wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow cooker, and slowly pour in the broths and demi-glace.
Carefully transfer the duck legs to a platter, and cover with aluminum foil. Allow the fat to cool slightly, and strain through cheesecloth into a large airtight container. Submerge the duck legs in the fat and let cool. Refrigerate until the fat congeals, or up to 1 month.
To warm the confit and crisp the skin, preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/gas 6. Remove the legs from the fat, scraping any excess back into the container. Place the legs on a rack in a roasting pan, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the skin is crispy. If the skin still isn’t crisped to your liking, run it under the broiler for 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immedaitely.
SLOW COOKER SAVVY
Duck is becoming more readily available in markets, but if you are having a hard time finding duck or duck fat, D’Artagnan sells high-quality duck fat and ducks online Resources .
Duck confit should be cooked only on low and only in a good-quality slow cooker. Inexpensive slow cookers run hotter and will burn the fat, giving it a rancid odor and flavor. The fat should only bubble around the edges of the pan, and not be at a rolling boil.
Duck Cassoulet
Cassoulet is a hearty winter dish from the southwestern region of France. There is much discussion about the ingredients necessary for a proper cassoulet, but the flavors depend on the cook and the region in which it’s prepared. In the Languedoc area of Castelnaudary, cassoulet is a pig fest, featuring sausages, pork, and ham, as well large white beans. Here, I’ve called for duck legs for an added dimension of flavor. It’s a grand recipe to make in the slow cooker, a delicious one-pot party dish to serve when it’s cold outside. You will need a 6- to 7-qt/5.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker for this meal. Start this dish the night before so the beans have time to cook.
SERVES 6 TO 8
1 lb/455 g dried large white beans
6 tbsp/90 ml extra-virgin olive oil
8 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-in/2.5-cm pieces
1½ lb/680 g kielbasa (smoked Polish sausage), cut into rounds
2½ lb/1.2 kg pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed, and cut into 1-in/2.5-cm pieces
4 duck legs, skin and any excess fat removed
2 large onions, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
One 28- to 32-oz/800- to 910-g can chopped tomatoes, with their juice
1½ cups/360 ml dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, or dry vermouth
4 cups/960 ml chicken broth
2 cups/480 ml beef broth
¼ cup/60 ml demi-glace or soup base
1½ cups/85 g fresh bread crumbs
½ cup/60 g finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
½ cup/30 g finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Salt (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
In a colander, rinse the beans in cold water, picking them over and discarding any broken beans, stones, or dirt. Put the beans in a large bowl and add enough water to cover by at least 2 in/5 cm. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to soak overnight. When ready to use, rinse the beans thoroughly and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil over medium-high heat, and sauté the bacon until it is crisp. Transfer to the insert of a 6- to 7-qt/5.5- to 6.5-L slow cooker. Add the sausage to the skillet and render some of its fat, transferring it to the insert of the slow cooker when browned. Brown the pork shoulder in the skillet, a few pieces at a time, transferring them to the slow cooker when done. Brown the duck legs on all sides, and add to the slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker to low and cover.
In the same skillet, sauté the onions, two-thirds of the garlic, the thyme, and bay leaves for 5 minutes, or until the onions become softened. Add the tomatoes and wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow cooker, and slowly pour in the broths and demi-glace.
Similar Books
