TRUE DUCK CONFIT IS MADE BY IMMERSING SEASONED DUCK LEGS IN DUCK FAT AND POACHING THEM FOR SEVERAL HOURS IN A 200º OVEN. IT TOOK SEVERAL MONTHS TO COLLECT ENOUGH DUCK FAT FOR THAT PURPOSE, BUT I CONTINUED TO REUSE IT UNTIL IT BEGAN TO TURN, OVER A YEAR LATER. RECENTLY, HOWEVER, I DISCOVERED TWO RECIPES FOR DUCK CONFIT SANS DUCK FAT: ONE FROM MELISSA CLARK IN THE N.Y. TIMES AND ANOTHER IN DAVID LEBOVITZ'S EXCELLENT MY PARIS KITCHEN. EACH USES DIFFERENT SEASONINGS BUT THE TECHNIQUE IS THE SAME AND TO MY DELIGHT, YIELDED DUCK CONFIT JUST AS TENDER AND FLAVORFUL AS THE ORIGINAL. FOR MY OWN RECIPE, I SELECTED THE SEASONINGS I LIKED FROM EACH. SINCE ONE DUCK LEG IS A RATHER MEAGER MEAL, I OFTEN ACCOMPANY IT WITH A FEW SLICES OF RARE DUCK BREAST.
THE DAY BEFORE COOKING, SALT AND PEPPER THE DUCK LEGS. COMBINE WITH ROUGHLY CHOPPED GARLIC CLOVES, THYME AND BAY LEAVES IN A BOWL. COVER AND REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT.
HEAT OVEN TO 300º.
WIPE OFF THE HERBS AND GARLIC AND ARRANGE THE LEGS IN ONE LAYER IN A STEEP-SIDED FRYING PAN, SKIN SIDE UP. COVER AND PLACE IN THE OVEN.
BAKE FOR 2 1/2 HOURS, OCCASIONALLY BASTING THE LEG WITH THE FAT FROM THE PAN.
RAISE THE HEAT TO 375º AND BAKE FOR ANOTHER 20 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE SKIN IS BROWN AND CRISP.
SERVES 4
Ingredients
Directions
THE DAY BEFORE COOKING, SALT AND PEPPER THE DUCK LEGS. COMBINE WITH ROUGHLY CHOPPED GARLIC CLOVES, THYME AND BAY LEAVES IN A BOWL. COVER AND REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT.
HEAT OVEN TO 300º.
WIPE OFF THE HERBS AND GARLIC AND ARRANGE THE LEGS IN ONE LAYER IN A STEEP-SIDED FRYING PAN, SKIN SIDE UP. COVER AND PLACE IN THE OVEN.
BAKE FOR 2 1/2 HOURS, OCCASIONALLY BASTING THE LEG WITH THE FAT FROM THE PAN.
RAISE THE HEAT TO 375º AND BAKE FOR ANOTHER 20 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE SKIN IS BROWN AND CRISP.
SERVES 4
