Duck Parmentier Food

DUCK COTTAGE PIE (PARMENTIER DE CONFIT DE CANARD)

Steps:

• For the pepper spice mix, if using, place all of the ingredients in a spice grinder and blitz.
• For the cottage pie, warm the confit duck legs in a saucepan over a gentle heat to release the fat. Pour the fat into clean jam jars. You will need some for this dish, but save the rest for roasting potatoes on another day.
• Remove the skin from the duck legs and discard (or slice and roast for a snack). Pull away the duck meat with a couple of forks and shred it, removing and discarding any bones and gristle.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the duck fat in a saucepan. Add the shallots, thyme and ½ tsp pepper spice mix or plenty of black pepper. Allow the shallots to cook gently and once they are golden, add the wine and stock. Bring to the boil, cook for a few minutes and then add the duck meat and parsley. Stir and set aside.
• Boil the potatoes in salted water for 20-25 minutes until tender. Drain well, add the warm milk and mash until smooth. Season with salt and a large pinch of pepper spice mix or some black pepper. Preheat the oven to 210C/190C Fan/Gas 6-7.
• Grease an 18x28cm/7x11in baking dish with duck fat. Pile in the meat mixture and cover with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for about 25 minutes, or until heated through and browned on top.
• Serve with a green salad, green beans or carrots.

DUCK PARMENTIER WITH COMTE CHEESE

Steps:

• Peel potatoes and cut them into 2 or 4 pieces depending on their size (bigger pieces will need more time to be done).
• Boil potatoes into salted water for 30 minutes (they'll be easier to mash if overcooked). Drain water and let them chill.
• Meanwhile, take duck legs off their fat and separate meat from bones and skin.
• Rinse and dry parsley. Chop it.
• Heat a pan over medium-low heat, fry duck meat with a little bit of duck fat from the can. Add parsley and leave for 10 minutes stirring often.
• Mash potatoes (you can use a a food mill or potato ricer, if you don't have any use a potato masher or heavy fork.) Pour mashed potatoes into a pan heated over low heat. Add butter, cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir well.
• You can use either an ovenproof dish or individual round pastry cutters. Whatever you're using grease it with a little bit of butter and add a layer of duck topped with a layer of mashed potatoes.
• Grate Comté cheese and sprinkle on top of duck parmentier.
• Heat oven on grill position and bake for 10 minutes or until cheese has a golden color.
• Serve right away with a salad. (If you used individual round pastry cutters, separate melted cheese with a knife and carefully take cutter out.).