Simple, Duck Confit with Lentils, Bacon, and Chestnuts.

This Simple Duck Confit is both rustic and refined. The process of curing and cooking the meat in fat produces a flavour unobtainable buy any other method. And I love it! I’m serving the confit with a Lentil, Bacon, and Chestnuts Stew, a great winter warmer.

What is Confit ?

This method of cooking meat originated with the need to preserve meat before the days of refrigeration. The general method of cooking the meat is similar to Rillettes but in this case the meat is cured then cooked slowly in fat. The cooked meat would have then been stored in jars covered with the cooking fat to exclude the air. This would have allowed the meat to be kept for several months. Of course the whole portioned bird would have been cooked but to day as we have no need to store the meat its generally the legs which are cooked. The breast been fried or roasted. Cooking the meat in this way produces a flavour unobtainable by any other method. And the gentle cooking renders a tender moist meat falling off the bone.

Duck Confit.

Serves 4.

You will need:-

• Ovenproof casserole with lid large enough to take the duck.
• Glass or stainless-steel dish
• Chopping board and knife
• Heatproof bowl for used duck fat.
• Baking tray on which to roast the duck.
• Pastry brush

Stage 1

• 4              Gressingham Duck Legs
• 4 tsp        flaky sea Salt (heaped)
• ½ tsp       thyme leaves
• 2             cloves of garlic
• 1tsp        black peppercorns
• 6             juniper berries chopped.

The day before- curing the meat.

Chop the juniper berries and garlic cloves and add to the salt. Coarsely crush the peppercorns and stir into the salt along with the thyme leaves.

Using a sharp knife, make a cut down to the bone around the ‘ankle’ of each leg and trim off any excess fat. Don’t throw the fat away we will add it to the cooking fat to gain flavour.

Place the legs skin side down in a glass or stainless steel shallow dish and sprinkle with the salt cure. Rub the slat well into the meat using all the cure. Cover the dish and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 12 hours for the flavours to penetrate the flesh.

Have a look at our Food Files page Astonishing Salt to get a better understanding on how salt works and how to use it.

Stage two – cooking the meat.

• Duck or goose fat to cover the meat.
• ½               bay Leaf
• 3                cloves of garlic
• Small         sprig of fresh thyme

Remove the legs from the dish, (some brine will have developed around the duck). Brush off the excess cure and rise under running water for 5 seconds, do not leave the legs sitting in water. Dab with a clean towel to remove any traces of moisture.

Set the legs into the casserole and pour the fat over, enough to cover the meat.

Add the thyme and bay leaf, then bruise the garlic with the back of a knife and add to the pan (do not season).

Braising the Duck Confit

Bring the mixture up to almost a simmer, if the fat gets too hot the meat will start to fry and dry out. Place on the lid and cook in a very low oven for 2 to 3 hours. It’s very difficult to give an exact cooking time according to the thickness of the legs.

When the legs are cooked allow them to cool in the fat. When cool carefully lift the legs from the casserole onto a clean tray. Once completely cold cover and refrigerate until needed, )they should be good for about three to five days in the fridge.

Storing the Duck Confit Fat.

Be sure to keep the cooking fat. Strain it into a heatproof bowl and cool completely. The fat can now be lifted from the meat jelly below and frozen until needed again. its also great for making the best roast potatoes possible. The jelly can also be frozen and used in making stews and sauces. Use it with care as it will be a little salty,

Lentil, Bacon and Chestnut Stew.

Serves 4

You will need: –

• Chopping board and knife
• Shallow saucepan with lid
• Heatproof spatula
• 4  deep plates on which to serve.4                     

• 2tbsp              olive or rapeseed oil
• 4                     small banana shallots, peeled with root intact
• 2                     cloves of garlic
• 100g               smoked bacon lardons.
• 1                    stick of celery cut into 1cm dice.
• 1                     med carrot cut into 1 cm dice.
• 1tsp                tomato puree
• 250g               lentil de Puy
• 800ml             chicken stock
• 1                     bay leaf
• 1                     sprig of rosemary
• 8                     brown mushrooms
• 16 peeled and cooked chestnuts
• 2 tbsp             chopped parsley to serve.
• runny honey to glaze the duck

Heat the pan and add the oil. Tip the lardons into the pan and begin to fry. Don’t allow the pan to become too hot and burn the bacon. After 3 – 4 minutes reduce the heat slightly and add the shallots. Peel and slice the garlic and add to the shallots with the diced celery and carrot.

Cook carefully for another 3 minutes or so. Watch out you don’t burn the garlic as it’s a flavour that can’t be masked and will spoil the dish. If you are unlucky enough to burn it – start again, its not worth carrying on! Mix in the tomato puree followed by the stock, and sage, then bring to the simmer.

Rinse the lentils under running water checking from small stones. Add the lentils to the pan mixing well, don’t season yet. Bring the pan to a bear simmer, pop on the lid and cook for 40 minutes. Check the pan every 15 minutes stirring to avoid the lentils sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Trimming the duck legs.

Turn on the oven and set it at 200˚c – 180˚c fan then remove the cooked duck from the fridge. The knuckle end of the leg should pull off easily due to the cut we made before cooking. This gives a clean end of bone which presents well.

Glazing the duck legs.

Lay the legs skin side up on a tinfoil lined baking tray with a gap between them. Pop the legs into the oven and cook until heated through (83˚c if you’re using your probe thermometer) and the skin is golden and crispy. When ready brush with runny honey and keep warm

Serving the Duck Confit.

On your last check of the pan, slice the mushrooms and stir into the lentils with half the chopped parsley. When the lentils are cooked pull the pan to one side and heat four deep plates.

Remove the rosemary then ladle the stew between the plates. Place a duck leg on each plate and garnish with chopped parsley.

Enjoy life!

John.

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©John Webber. 2023