Duck Confit With Frisée Green Lentils Beets And Roquef Food

DUCK CONFIT WITH FRISéE, GREEN LENTILS, BEETS, AND ROQUEF

Steps:

• To make the beets and lentils: in a medium saucepan, cover the beets with cold salted water and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Decrease heat and simmer for 40-45 minutes, until tender.
• Drain, and when cool enough to handle, slip off the skins and cut the beets in half; set aside.
• In a large saucepan, combine 1½ cups water, the lentils, stock, onion, and garlic.
• Season with salt and pepper; bring to a boil over high heat.
• Decrease heat and simmer 20-25 minutes, until just tender.
• Remove from heat and cool in the cooking liquid.
• To make the vinaigrette: in a small nonreactive bowl, whisk the vinegar and mustard together; season with salt and pepper.
• Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified; set aside.
• To make the duck: in a 12-inch saute pan, cook the duck legs, skin side up, over med-low heat for about 15 minutes, or until the fat is rendered and the skin is crisp.
• Drain the lentils and discard any pieces of onion and garlic; put the drained lentils in a small nonreactive bowl and toss them with the shallot and parsley.
• Dress them with about ¼ cup of the vinaigrette, whisking the vinaigrette well before adding it to the lentils; season to taste with salt and pepper.
• In another bowl, combine the frisee and watercress; dress with the remaining vinaigrette.
• Crumble the cheese over the greens and season them with salt and pepper.
• Divide the lentils among 4 salad plates; put a duck leg on each mound of lentils.
• Garnish with beets and a bouquet of dressed greens.

DUCK CONFIT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Rub salt, pepper and the minced garlic all over the duck and under the skin. Place the duck, breast down, in a deep braising pan and add duck fat to fully submerge; the amount of fat will vary depending on pan size.
• Place the braising pan in the oven and cook for no less than 5 hours (see Cook's Note).
• Remove the duck from the fat and gently pull the meat off of the bones.

DUCK CONFIT

Steps:

• Season the duck legs with kosher salt on both sides. Place them in a large resealable bag. Add the lemon zest and slices, garlic, allspice berries, juniper berries and fresh thyme. Seal, and massage the duck legs through the bag until all of the ingredients are evenly dispersed. Refrigerate for 24 hours to marinate.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (93 degrees C).
• Remove the duck legs from the marinade. Rinse them off and pat dry. Place the rest of the contents of the bag into the bottom of an oven safe dish just large enough to hold the legs in a single layer, preferably enameled cast iron or glass. Arrange the duck legs skin side down in the dish. Pour the duck fat into a small saucepan and warm over low heat until liquid. Pour over the duck legs until they are completely covered. If the legs are not covered, you can top it off with some olive oil. As the legs cook, more fat will be rendered from the skin. Cover the dish with a lid.
• Bake for 6 to 7 hours in the preheated oven, until the meat pulls easily from the bone. Remove the duck legs from the fat and place in a sealable container. You may leave the bones in or remove them. Make sure there is room at the top of the container. Strain all of the solids from the remaining fat and discard the solids. Pour the fat over the duck in the container, covering completely. Seal and allow to come to room temperature. Once the jar is cool, place in the refrigerator and let the duck meat cure for 2 months. Reserve any leftover duck fat for other uses.