Smoked Réveillon Duck Breast And Confit Leg Food

DUCK CONFIT

Steps:

• Place the duck breasts in the insert of a 5 1/2 to 6 quart slow cooker and add the fat, garlic, shallot, salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence. Cover, set the slow cooker on HIGH, and cook for 1 hour. Reduce the heat to LOW and cook until the duck is very, very tender--at least 4 and up to 8 hours. Use a slotted spoon to remove the duck from the fat, which can be strained, frozen, and reused. Serve the duck hot or at room temperature, or use it to make cassoulet.
• There are three ways to get chicken fat for this recipe: You can skim congealed fat off the top of chicken soup or stock, buy it in a plastic tub from a kosher butcher, or make it yourself. To make your own, place raw chicken fat in a heavy saucepan and cook very slowly over medium-low heat until the fat has melted, the connective tissue has darkened and crisped, and any water has evaporated. Strain the rendered fat into a bowl. Rendered chicken fat can be kept in a sealed container in the freezer for up to 6 months.

SMOKED RéVEILLON DUCK BREAST AND CONFIT LEG

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine syrup, water, brown sugar, salt, seasoning and smoke flavoring. Add breasts, marinate for length of time duck legs are cooking.
• Place duck legs in cake pan. Add the rest of the dry cure (oil should cover about 1/2 up leg). Cover and cook at 250F for 3-4 hours. Allow to rest for time breasts are cooking. Change oven temp to 400°F.
• Season foie gras; sear on both sides in a hot skillet until golden brown. Remove from pan; reserve on paper towels.
• In same hot skillet, sear breasts duck fat side down; finish in 400F oven for 10-12 minutes (medium done).
• To prepare risotto, sauté garlic and shallots in olive oil. Remove garlic and shallots and reserve. Add rice and sauté until translucent (7-10 minutes), stirring constantly. Add bay leaf, thyme, garlic and shallots. In three stages, add warmed stock, stirring each time until liquid is almost absorbed then adding the next stage. First stage is 1 cup, second stage is 2 cups, and last stage is 1 cup. After stock has been totally added, fold in cheese and pecans. Let it sit, covered, for two to three minutes, and it will be ready to serve.
• For reduction, simmer ingredients in pot until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally. Season as needed.
• To plate, mound 1 cup of risotto in center of plate. Lay confit leg against the rice with drum leg up. Slice duck breast thin; fan around leg. Drizzle with reduction; top with foie gras.

DUCK, DUCK, DUCK: SMOKED BREAST, GRILLED FOIE GRAS AND BARBEQUED THIGHS

Steps:

• On 1 side of the grill only, prepare the coals and cover them with lots of pre-soaked hickory wood chips. Mix all the spices together and rub the duck breast vigorously. Place the breasts on the grill on the opposite side of the coals in a low heat grill. Smoke the breasts slowly at 275 degrees for about 1 hour.
• Mix together the cider, vinegar, garlic and pepper to make a marinade. Combine the marinade and duck thighs and store overnight in the refrigerator. Place in the grill with the breast of duck on the opposite side of the fire for about 1 hour. After the breasts and thighs have smoked for about 1 hour, remove them from the grill. Bring the coals up to medium high heat.
• Combine cherries and pears in a medium size saucepan and bring to a boil on the grill. Remove from heat and add vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Grilled Foie Gras: 6 ounces foie gras, cut into 4 pieces 3/4-inch thick, very, very cold, almost frozen Salt and pepper to taste Place fois gras over medium hot coals for 3 minutes. Carefully turn over and cook for 2 more minutes. Also place the smoked breast, skin side down, over the medium hot coals to crisp the skin. Remove the duck breast from the grill and slice on bias, 3/4-inch thick. Slice the thighs on bias 3/4-inch thick. Serve the breast, thighs and foie gras with the cherry sauce.

CONFIT OF DUCK

Steps:

• The day before you want to make the dish, scatter half the salt, half the garlic and half of the herbs over the base of a small shallow dish. Lay the duck legs, skin-side up, on top, then scatter over the remaining salt, garlic and herbs. Cover the duck and refrigerate overnight. This can be done up to 2 days ahead.
• Pour the wine into a saucepan that will snugly fit the duck legs in a single layer. Brush the salt off the duck legs and place them, skin-side down, in the wine. Cover the pan with a lid and place over a medium heat. As soon as the wine starts to bubble, turn the heat down to the lowest setting and cook for 2 hours, checking occasionally that the liquid is just barely simmering. (If you own a heat diffuser, it would be good to use it here.) After 2 hours, the duck legs should be submerged in their own fat and the meat should feel incredibly tender when prodded. Leave to cool.
• The duck legs are now cooked and can be eaten immediately - or you can follow the next step if you like them crisp. If you are preparing ahead, pack the duck legs tightly into a plastic container or jar and pour over the fat, but not the liquid at the bottom of the pan. Cover and leave in the fridge for up to a month, or freeze for up to 3 months. The liquid you are left with makes a tasty gravy, which can be chilled or frozen until needed.
• To reheat and crisp up the duck legs, heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Remove the legs from the fat and place them, skin-side down, in an ovenproof frying pan. Roast for 30-40 mins, turning halfway through, until brown and crisp. Serve with the reheated gravy, a crisp salad and some crisp golden ptoatoes.