Duck confit with peas

Duck confit is a classic bistrot dish.  The idea is to achieve beautiful crispy skin.  The flavour of duck comes over as well as any duck dish.

Preparation Time: 20 Mins

Cooking Time: 100 Mins

Total Time: 2 Hrs

Ingredients

For 4 servings…

For the confit

4                    Duck legs   

250 gms           Fat  - duck 

4 cloves            Garlic  - unpeeled     

5                    Cloves      

1                    Bay leaf     

10                   Peppercorns  - black  

2 tsp               Salt          

1                    Potato  - large, cut into 4 slices  

For the peas

150 gms           Peas         

                     Salt          

1 tsp               Sugar  - caster         

1                    Orange  - juice and grated rind of          

1 handful         Salad leaves            

Method

Heat an oven to 180°C.

To cook the confit…

Pack the legs into a tight-fitting pan then add the duck fat and the rest of the ingredients - except the potato.  Season well, cover the pan with a lid and cook in the oven for an hour or until the legs are soft but not falling apart.

Lay the potato slices in an ovenproof pan, remove the duck legs from the fat (do not discard the fat) and place one leg on top of each slice of potato.  Cook in the oven for 35 minutes until the skin is crisp.  If necessary, cover the legs with foil to prevent them burning.

Meanwhile, cook the peas…

Put the peas into boiling salt water with the sugar and cook them for 4 minutes.

To make the dressing…

Put the orange peel and juice in a bowl and whisk in a tablespoon of the the liquid duck fat.

To serve…

Transfer the duck legs on their potato slices to serving plates.  Arrange the peas and salad leaves around duck and spoon around the dressing.

Wine recommendations

          A red wine - ideally a Burgundy.

  Conventional

           Burgundy

  Interesting

           Mercurey

           Regnié

  Special

           Volnay