Confit De Canard Preserved Duck Food

PRESERVED DUCK (CONFIT DE CANARD)

Steps:

• two legs with thighs attached, two breast halves, two wings and neck.
• Trim away any peripheral fat from the duck and from the inside of the cavity, reserving it for rendering. In a large, shallow bowl layer the duck pieces, sprinkling them with the salt and pepper. Add the garlic, cloves, bay leaves and thyme. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 24 hours, turning the pieces occasionally.
• Rinse the pieces to remove the salt, drain and wipe dry with a paper towel. In a very large pot heat the goose fat or duck fat just enough to melt it and add the duck pieces, garlic and herbs. (Preferably, the pan should be large enough to hold the pieces in one layer. Use a copper pot if you have one; it will allow the duck to cook slowly and evenly.)
• Bring the fat almost to the boil, then quickly lower the heat to a gentle simmer and simmer slowly and evenly, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours. Do not allow the fat to boil or the meat will be fried, not gently cooked. After 1 1/2 hours pierce the duck meat with a metal skewer. If the juice flows clear, the duck is cooked. If it flows red continue cooking until the juice flows clear. The meat should be soft and not offer the least bit of resistance.
• Remove the duck pieces and arrange them in a large, round earthenware terrine, a large, wide-mouth canning jar or several jars. (If you will be using the confit right away or the next day, just cover and refrigerate). To store the confit for more than a day strain the fat through a very fine sieve over the duck pieces. There should be enough fat to fully cover them. If not, add additional goose fat or duck fat to cover. Cover the terrine with a lid or plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate (or store in a very cool cellar) for several weeks before using. The confit should keep for several months as long as it is well-covered with fat.
• When ready to serve, allow the confit to rest at room temperature for an hour, then lift as many pieces as you will need out of the fat.
• To serve at room temperature, brown as described above, then drain and allow to cool before serving. Cold duck is excellent with a green salad with a garlicky dressing.
• Broil the pieces or cook them in a very hot oven in a little of their own fat or pan-fry them in a little of their own fat until the skin is crisp and deep brown and the meat is heated through. Drain and serve.

CONFIT DE CANARD

Steps:

• Rub the duck legs all over with the split garlic cloves and put them in a glass bowl with the salt, pepper, bay leaves, and thyme. Cover with a tea towel and refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours, turning once.
• Heat the oven to 200 degrees F. Rinse the duck and pat dry with a towel. Set the legs in a baking dish and tuck in the garlic cloves. Pour over enough fat to cover them, place over heat and when you see the first bubble, set it on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and bake uncovered until the meat is very tender and shrinks away from the bone, about 4 hours. Cool slightly in the fat, then carefully lift them out.
• While the confit cooks, soak 2 wooden skewers in a saucepan and boil 5 minutes to sterilize. Lay in the bottom of two sterilized glass loaf pans (breaking the sticks if needed). Lay on the duck legs and ladle over the fat, leaving any juices behind. Make sure they are well covered. Cover with foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate a week to mellow.
• To cook, remove the pans from the fridge and set in simmering water about 20 minutes, so you can pull the legs out without breaking. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and lay the legs skin-side down with a little fat around them in a cast iron pan. Bake until hot, about 15 minutes. Remove and turn oven to broil. Turn legs skin-side up and broil to crispen skin, about 3 minutes.

CONFIT DE CANARD

Steps:

• Quarter the ducks and remove the backbones. Cut and trim off as much fat as possible. Grind any excess skin and all the fat in a food processor, place in a deep saucepan with 1 cup water and render the fat (simmer it over low heat for about 45 minutes, uncovered), strain, and reserve.
• Cut each breast into halves with the wings attached. Roll each piece of duck in the salt and place it in a large stainless glass or earthen bowl. Sprinkle each piece of duck with a mixture of the shallots, herbs, and spices and scatter any remaining salt over the top. Cover loosely and refrigerate 24 hours. NOTE: This may be cut down to a few hours if it is to be eaten within a week or two.
• Rinse quickly, then wipe the pieces of duck to remove all the salt, herbs, spices, and liquid.
• Heat the strained fat in a deep, wide kettle. Add the duck, 1/2 cup of water, the halved garlic head, and enough rendered poultry or pork fat to cover. Bring the mixture to a boil. Lower heat and cook at a simmer for 1 1/2 hours, or until the duck flesh can be easily pierced with a straw. Do not let the mixture boil.
• Remove the duck, drain and discard any loose bones. Strain the warmed fat. Put about 1 cup of warmed fat into each of the bowls or mason jars intended for storage of the confit and cool in order to congeal the fat.
• Arrange the duck pieces in the containers without compacting them. Strain the remaining fat, tepid but not hot, over the duck to cover. The pieces of duck must be completely submerged in the fat. Cover and chill until solid. Cover with a layer of melted lard. Cover tightly with a glass top or with plastic wrap and store in a cool place such as a cold cellar or the refrigerator. Leave to ripen at least 1 month. It keeps well for 6 months.
• To use the confit, set the jars or bowl in a warm oven. When the fat softens, remove pieces desired. Return jar or bowl to the refrigerator. Be sure all of the remaining pieces are covered with fat. The duck can be served at room temperature or warmed in an oven, then Sauteed to crisp the skin.

CONFIT DE CANARD (PRESERVED DUCK)

Steps:

• Cut each of the ducks or have them cut as follows: two breast pieces (the breast cut lengthwise down the center), two thighs, two legs, two wings, gizzard, liver, heart, neck and backbone. Using a sharp knife, place one piece at a time on a flat surface and cut away and reserve all the peripheral fat (the fat that extends beyond that covering the meat). Save all the cavity fat.
• Put the pieces of fat into a heavy saucepan and cook over gentle heat without browning. You want to render the fat from the solids. The solid pieces will become quite crisp and nicely browned after about 45 minutes to an hour. Strain off the fat. There should be about two and one-half cups. Discard the solids.
• Arrange the duck pieces in one layer in a large pan and sprinkle with pepper and salt. Sprinkle the pieces with the bay leaves, thyme, cloves and garlic, turning the pieces to coat them evenly with the ingredients. Arrange the pieces neatly, close together and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator or a very cool place and let stand 24 to 48 hours.
• When ready to cook, put the bony parts (back, necks and so on) on the bottom of a large saucepan or small casserole large enough to hold all the pieces. Place the meaty parts on top, all the pieces skin side down. Add the two and one-half cups of rendered duck fat and the lard. Cover closely and bring the fat to the boil. Let simmer about one hour and 15 minutes.
• Remove the pieces of duck from the fat. Separate the meaty parts from the bony parts. You may pick at the bones if desired, but the choicest portions are, of course, the meaty parts. Preserved poultry or meats will keep for an extended period of time. To preserve them further, put the portions to be reserved in a utensil and add the hot fat to cover. Let stand at room temperature until cool. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• When ready to use, heat the congealed fat until it is melted. Remove the pieces of duck and use as indicatd in any recipe calling for preserved duck.
• To choose an example, heat four tablespoons of the duck fat in a large heavy skillet and add the duck pieces, skin side down. Cook about four or five minutes on one side or until nicely browned. Turn the pieces and continue cooking about four or five minutes until nicely browned on the second side.

CONFIT DE CANARD AUX HARICOTS (PRESERVED DUCK WITH BEANS)

Steps:

• Pick over the beans, if necessary, to remove any foreign particles. Put the beans in a kettle and add cold water to cover about one inch above the top of the beans. Bring to the boil and let simmer about two minutes. Drain. Return the beans to the kettle and add eight cups of water and salt to taste. Add the onion with the cloves, bay leaf, carrot, thyme and salt pork. Bring to the boil and let simmer one to one and onequarter hours or until beans are tender.
• Remove and reserve the salt pork, carrot and onion. Discard the cloves.
• Brown the duck pieces as indicated in the original recipe and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat the duck fat in a saucepan and add the chopped onions. Cook, stirring, until wilted. Add the tomatoes and cook about 15 minutes.
• Add the tomato mixture to the beans. Cut the salt pork, carrot and whole onion into small cubes. Add this to the beans and tomatoes. Stir and cook about 10 minutes. Add the parsley.
• Serve the beans with the hot, preserved duck pieces.