Best Duck Confit With Sauteed Potatoes Recipes

DUCK AND POTATO PIEROGIES

Steps:

• For the pierogi dough: Add sour cream, salt, eggs and 1 cup water to a 4-quart or larger mixer with a dough hook attachment. Mix on medium to low speed until thoroughly combined.
• Turn speed to low and slowly add the flour in 1-cup increments. Push down dough on sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Allow each cup to thoroughly mix in before adding the next cup. Add last cup slowly.
• Dough should begin to pull away cleanly from the sides and bottom of the bowl. If it doesn't, slowly add more flour until it does. If your dough is too dry, add a little water to moisten. Once dough pulls away cleanly from the sides and bottom of the bowl, allow the dough hook to knead the dough until lightly tacky and soft, about 4 minutes.
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
• For the duck confit: Mix salt, both sugars and sumac in a large mixing bowl by hand until thoroughly combined.
• Pat dry duck legs and rub with crushed juniper berries and crushed garlic. Set legs aside.
• Cover the bottom of a deep-walled baking dish large enough to hold the legs in a single layer with 1 quart of the salt-sugar mixture, ensuring that the bottom of the dish is covered (add more mixture if necessary).
• Put half of the fresh thyme sprigs down on top of the mixture. Snugly fit the rubbed duck legs in the mixture in a single layer. Cover with any remaining garlic or juniper berries that may have fallen off during placement. Cover the duck legs with the remaining fresh thyme. Pack with remaining salt-sugar mixture until meat of the dug legs is completely covered. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Remove duck legs from refrigerator and gently rinse each leg over a sink running cold water. Pat dry with paper towels and set aside.
• Place duck legs in a pot on stovetop and cover with schmaltz. Simmer on low heat until the meat pulls easily from the bone, about 2 hours. Pull duck legs from pot and allow to cool. Reserve oil.
• Pull the meat from the bone and rough chop the duck leg meat. Reserve the bones.
• For the duck stock: Place reserved bones in a 4- to 6-quart stockpot with the carrots, celery and onion. Add enough water to cover the bones and vegetables (about 4 quarts), then add the bay leaves and peppercorns. Bring just to boil and immediately adjust heat to low. Allow to simmer on low for 3 to 4 hours. Strain off bones and vegetables, reserving the dug leg stock.
• For the pierogies: Cover potatoes with 1 quart duck stock or enough stock to cover. Bring potatoes to a boil, then immediately lower heat to medium. Simmer the potatoes until they are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Strain and spread on a sheet tray.
• Sprinkle potatoes with 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt and allow to cool. Place potatoes and chopped duck leg meat in a mixing bowl. Add 1/4 cup reserved oil from the duck leg confit and fold in green onions. Taste filling and adjust seasoning if necessary.
• Remove dough from refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Unwrap and quarter the dough with a bench scraper. Cover the remaining 3 quarters of dough with a towel while you work on the first quarter.
• Roll the dough on a floured surface into an even sheet about 1/8-inch thick. Cut out dough discs using a 3- to 4-inch biscuit cutter.
• Combine cornstarch and 1 cup water in a bowl. Moisten each disc with a thin layer of the cornstarch slurry. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each disc. Gently pick up each disc by the sides, then pinch the dough around the filling. Pinch dough closed, sealing the filling inside. Place filled pierogies on a generously-floured sheet tray.
• Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in batches, gently place the pierogies in the boiling water. Return water to a boil and allow pierogies to boil until floating and warmed through, 10 to 15 minutes. Pull pierogies from the water and allow to dry slightly. (At this point you may refrigerate or freeze any pierogies you aren't planning on using.)
• Prepare a saute pan over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of the reserved oil from the duck leg confit. Carefully fry the pierogies until the sides are light brown and crusty.
• Serve with Pierogi Sauce.
• For the roast tomato ketchup: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Toss tomatoes with oil, garlic, salt, basil, oregano and pepper and place on a sheet tray. Roast until tomatoes are half their size and browned, about 1 hour.
• Puree tomatoes and any remaining liquid in a food processor with tomato paste until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• For the sauce: Prepare a large saucepan at medium-high heat. Add duck fat to saucepan.
• Saute mushrooms in saucepan until browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons roast tomato ketchup (save the remainder for another use) and lightly brown the ketchup, 3 minutes. Add blanched carrots, celery, onion and duck stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat until reduced by half. Season to taste.

DUCK CONFIT, THE RIGHT WAY

Steps:

• Combine shallot, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic, and thyme in a small bowl. Rub all over duck legs, thighs, and wings.
• Arrange duck parts skin side-up in a dish and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until the seasoning is well absorbed, 24 to 48 hours.
• Rinse off the seasoning and pat the duck dry. Arrange duck in a single layer in a 9x13-inch baking pan. Let duck stand until it reaches room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C).
• Melt duck fat in a saucepan over medium heat until bubbles begin to form, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour duck fat over the room-temperature duck.
• Bake duck in the preheated oven until tender and the juices run clear, 2 to 3 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 135 degrees F (57 degrees C). Pour off the duck fat.
• Brush a grill pan with some of the used duck fat and heat over medium-high heat until smoking. Add baked duck; cook in batches until skin is crispy, about 90 seconds per side.

DUCK CONFIT

Steps:

• Cut up ducks: Separate thigh-leg portions in one piece. Bone thigh, leaving it attached to leg bone. Cut off top inch of leg bone with a heavy cleaver. Trim all visible fat from thigh-leg pieces; reserve fat in a heavy saucepan. Remove duck breasts and reserve for another use. Cut away as much fat and skin from the carcass as possible, chop in small pieces, and add to reserved fat.
• Marinate duck pieces: Sprinkle thigh-leg portions all over with salt and turn skin-side down. Sprinkle with mixed spices, saltpeter and pepper. Place herb sprig on each portion. Press together 2 pieces to make 3 packages of thigh-leg portions with skin on outside. Place in a nonreactive baking dish or roasting pan, cover tightly and marinate 24 hours, refrigerated.
• Render duck fat: Add 1 1/2 cups of the wine and just enough water to saucepan of reserved fat to moisten. Heat pan over medium heat and simmer for about 1 hour, or until all wine and water has evaporated, and only golden duck fat remains. Strain out cooked skin and reserve fat.
• Prepare confit: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Remove duck thigh-leg pieces from refrigerator, discard herb sprigs and pat dry with paper towels. Brush lightly with rendered fat and broil in a preheated broiler, skin-side up, until skin browns, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup wine and let rest for several minutes. Meanwhile, heat rendered duck fat in a large, heavy casserole. When fat boils add duck pieces. Add enough additional rendered duck or goose fat to cover. Bake covered in 300 degree F oven, 2 hours, or until duck is extremely tender, but not falling apart. Place a rack or crisscross a pair of chopsticks in bottom of a heavy earthenware crock. Lay duck pieces on rack, then pour warm fat over to completely cover and seal pieces. When cool, cover top of crock and refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving. Duck will keep, refrigerated, for several weeks.
• To finish: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove duck pieces from crock and scrape off most of fat. Place in a roasting pan and heat in a 400 degree oven until crisply brown, about 15 minutes. Serve with garlic potatoes Sauteed in some duck fat.
• * Mixed Spices: Combine 1 teaspoon each crumbled dried basil, crumbled dried thyme, freshly-grated nutmeg, ground cloves, ground white pepper, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne and 1 bay leaf, crumbled. Yield: about 2 tablespoons
• Cut up ducks: Separate thigh-leg portions in one piece. Bone thigh, leaving it attached to leg bone. Cut off top inch of leg bone with a heavy cleaver. Trim all visible fat from thigh-leg pieces; reserve fat in a heavy saucepan. Remove duck breasts and reserve for another use. Cut away as much fat and skin from the carcass as possible, chop in small pieces, and add to reserved fat.
• Marinate duck pieces: Sprinkle thigh-leg portions all over with salt and turn skin-side down. Sprinkle with mixed spices, saltpeter and pepper. Place herb sprig on each portion. Press together 2 pieces to make 3 packages of thigh-leg portions with skin on outside. Place in a nonreactive baking dish or roasting pan, cover tightly and marinate 24 hours, refrigerated.
• Render duck fat: Add 1 1/2 cups of the wine and just enough water to saucepan of reserved fat to moisten. Heat pan over medium heat and simmer for about 1 hour, or until all wine and water has evaporated, and only golden duck fat remains. Strain out cooked skin and reserve fat.
• Prepare confit: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Remove duck thigh-leg pieces from refrigerator, discard herb sprigs and pat dry with paper towels. Brush lightly with rendered fat and broil in a preheated broiler, skin-side up, until skin browns, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup wine and let rest for several minutes. Meanwhile, heat rendered duck fat in a large, heavy casserole. When fat boils add duck pieces. Add enough additional rendered duck or goose fat to cover. Bake covered in 300 degree F oven, 2 hours, or until duck is extremely tender, but not falling apart. Place a rack or crisscross a pair of chopsticks in bottom of a heavy earthenware crock. Lay duck pieces on rack, then pour warm fat over to completely cover and seal pieces. When cool, cover top of crock and refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving. Duck will keep, refrigerated, for several weeks.
• To finish: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove duck pieces from crock and scrape off most of fat. Place in a roasting pan and heat in a 400 degree oven until crisply brown, about 15 minutes. Serve with garlic potatoes Sauteed in some duck fat.
• * Mixed Spices: Combine 1 teaspoon each crumbled dried basil, crumbled dried thyme, freshly-grated nutmeg, ground cloves, ground white pepper, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne and 1 bay leaf, crumbled. Yield: about 2 tablespoons

DUCK CONFIT

Steps:

• Trim fat from legs and thighs, leaving skin intact over meat, but removing excess. In a bowl, combine duck with salt, juniper berries, bay leaves, and garlic, and rub salt mixture all over the duck to cover completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours and up to 2 days.
• Remove from refrigerator and rub off excess cure (reserve garlic). Melt duck fat over medium heat in a Dutch oven large enough to hold duck, with about 3 inches space at the top. Add duck, skin side down, and heat until fat reaches about 200 degrees (test with a candy thermometer or electronic probe.) The surface should look like it is gently boiling (but should not actually be at a boil). Adjust heat if necessary to keep temperature consistent throughout cooking. Cook until the fat is clear and a knife stuck into one of the legs slides out easily, about 3 hours.
• Transfer the legs to several glass, stainless-steel, or glazed-stoneware containers. Strain fat, discarding any solids and pour, still warm, over legs, making sure they are completely covered. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3 weeks.
• Remove desired amount of confit from fat, scraping off any excess, and keeping remaining legs covered with fat. Place skin side down in a cold cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet. Place over medium-low heat and cover. Cook until skin is crisp, spooning off excess fat as it cooks, about 10 minutes. Serve as desired.

CONFIT DUCK

Steps:

• The day before cooking, put the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan and toast until they are slightly coloured and aromatic. Remove to a board and crush them with the blade of a knife. Crush the juniper berries and mix with the spices and the salt. Rub the mixture over the duck, scatter with thyme, rosemary and sliced garlic and chill for 24 hrs, turning two or three times as they marinate.
• Next day, heat oven to 150C/130C fan/ gas 2. Wipe the duck with kitchen paper and pat dry, but don't wash off the marinade. (The salt extracts the water from the meat cells, which will be reinflated with fat as the duck cooks gently. If you wash it, you will simply reinflate the cells with water.)
• Put the duck in a cast-iron casserole and cover with the goose fat or duck fat. Add the bay leaves and peppercorns and cook for about 2½ hrs, or until the meat is almost falling away from the bone. You can store the duck very simply by placing it in a pudding bowl, covering it with the fat and keeping it in the fridge: as long as it stays covered with fat it will last for weeks.
• To cook, remove the confit duck legs from their fat. Put an ovenproof frying pan on the stove until it is hot. Add the duck legs, skin-side down, and cook for 4 mins. Turn the legs and transfer the pan to the oven for 30 mins, until crisp.

DUCK CONFIT WITH POTATO LEEK RAGOUT

Steps:

• Wash sliced leeks and pat dry. Remove duck meat (with skin) from bones in large pieces, reserving meat and bones separately.
• Simmer prunes and Armagnac in a small saucepan until Armagnac is absorbed, about 3 minutes.
• Heat rendered duck fat in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook mushrooms with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
• Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook leeks with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, stirring once or twice, until beginning to soften and brown on edges, about 6 minutes. Transfer to bowl with mushrooms.
• Bring wine, bay leaf, thyme, cloves, and zests to a boil in skillet, scraping up any brown bits. Add reserved bones, then broth and 1 cup water and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Add potatoes, leeks, and mushrooms (with any juices) and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Add prunes (with any juices), remaining cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender and liquid is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. (If liquid hasn't thickened, remove lid and boil.)
• Meanwhile, cook duck meat, skin side down, covered, in a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until skin is well browned and crisp and meat is heated through, about 15 minutes.
• Discard bones and bay leaf from ragout, then season with salt and pepper and serve topped with duck confit.