Confit Duck Leg Pozole Recipes

CONFIT DUCK LEG POZOLE

Steps:

• Remove skin from duck leg and cut skin into 1/4-inch pieces. Cook skin in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and skin is golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer duck skin with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and season with salt. Pour off and discard fat from saucepan (or reserve for another use), then wipe pan clean and set aside.
• While skin cooks, remove duck meat from bones, reserving bones, and finely shred.
• Toast chile in dry saucepan over moderate heat, turning with tongs, until fragrant and pliable, about 2 minutes, then transfer to a bowl. Cover chile with boiling-hot water and soak until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain chile and transfer to a blender.
• While chile soaks, add onion and garlic to dry saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add water, oregano, honey, cumin, and reserved bones and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes. Discard bones.
• Blend broth mixture with softened chile and 1/4 teaspoon salt in blender until very smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Transfer purée to saucepan. Add hominy and shredded duck meat and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro and salt to taste, then serve topped with duck skin.
• *Available at butcher shops, some supermarkets, and D'Artagnan (800-327-8246).
• **Available at Latino markets, many supermarkets, and Chile Today-Hot Tamale (800-468-7377).

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.

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.

CONFIT DUCK LEGS

Steps:

• Mince and mash 4 garlic cloves to a paste with a pinch of kosher salt. Stir together paste, kosher salt (1/4 cup), thyme, quatre épices, shallots, and bay leaves in a large bowl. Add duck legs and toss to coat, then marinate, covered and chilled, at least 1 day and up to 2 days.
• Wipe off marinade with paper towels.
• Trim off 1/4 inch from top of garlic head, then stick 2 whole cloves into head. Melt duck fat in a wide large heavy pot over low heat, then cook garlic head and duck legs, uncovered, over low heat until fat registers approximately 190°F, about 1 hour. Continue to cook duck, maintaining a temperature of 190 to 210°F, until a wooden pick slides easily into thighs, 2 to 3 hours more.
• Transfer duck with a slotted spoon to a large bowl (reserve garlic for another use if desired). Slowly pour duck fat through a fine-mesh sieve into a large crock or deep bowl, leaving any cloudy liquid or meat juices in bottom of pot, then pour strained fat over duck legs to cover by 1 inch. (If necessary, shorten drumstick bones 1 to 2 inches using a large heavy knife to fit legs more tightly in bowl.) Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, then chill, covered, at least 8 hours.
• Just before serving, remove duck from fat (reserve fat for another use, such as frying), scraping off most of fat, then cook, skin side down, in a large heavy nonstick skillet over low heat, covered, until skin is crisp and duck is heated through, 15 to 20 minutes

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

Steps:

• Season the duck legs with kosher salt on both sides. Place them in a large resealable bag. Add the lemon zest and slices, garlic, allspice berries, juniper berries and fresh thyme. Seal, and massage the duck legs through the bag until all of the ingredients are evenly dispersed. Refrigerate for 24 hours to marinate.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (93 degrees C).
• Remove the duck legs from the marinade. Rinse them off and pat dry. Place the rest of the contents of the bag into the bottom of an oven safe dish just large enough to hold the legs in a single layer, preferably enameled cast iron or glass. Arrange the duck legs skin side down in the dish. Pour the duck fat into a small saucepan and warm over low heat until liquid. Pour over the duck legs until they are completely covered. If the legs are not covered, you can top it off with some olive oil. As the legs cook, more fat will be rendered from the skin. Cover the dish with a lid.
• Bake for 6 to 7 hours in the preheated oven, until the meat pulls easily from the bone. Remove the duck legs from the fat and place in a sealable container. You may leave the bones in or remove them. Make sure there is room at the top of the container. Strain all of the solids from the remaining fat and discard the solids. Pour the fat over the duck in the container, covering completely. Seal and allow to come to room temperature. Once the jar is cool, place in the refrigerator and let the duck meat cure for 2 months. Reserve any leftover duck fat for other uses.

POZOLE WITH DUCK AND MEZCAL

Steps:

• Place hominy in a saucepan, add 4 cups water, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Set aside, covered, for 1 hour. Then simmer about 2 hours, partly covered, until starting to soften, adding more water if needed to keep kernels covered. Set aside.
• Heat duck fat or oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onion, bell pepper, poblano, leek and jalapeño. Cook on medium low until vegetables are soft and the onion barely starts to color, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the cumin, chipotle powder and cayenne. Cook for a minute, then add the pineapple and duck. Drain the hominy and add it. Add the chicken stock and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on low about 1 1/2 hours, until the hominy has softened, is starting to look translucent and some of the kernels are popping open.
• Season with salt and red-pepper flakes to taste. Add the lime juice. Fold in the scallions and cilantro. Divide the mezcal among 4 small glasses and serve alongside, if desired, to sip with the pozole. As guests have nearly finished their pozole suggest they pour some of the mezcal into their bowls for the last few spoonfuls.

DUCK POZOLE

Steps:

• Place the bacon in a large, 1-gallon stockpot or Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat until crispy, 10 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pan and set aside on a paper towel lined plate.
• Increase the heat to medium-high and add the smoked duck to the stockpot. Sear until caramelized on all sides, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and begin to caramelize, about 4 minutes. Season the onions lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the zucchini, yellow squash, and carrots and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the jalapenos and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the duck stock and hominy and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, occasionally skimming off any fat that rises to the surface.
• Add the blanched corn and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Remove the pozole from the heat and stir in the cilantro, lime juice, and reserved bacon. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle pozole into soup bowls, garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs and lime wedges, and serve immediately.

ANNE'S CONFIT OF DUCK LEGS

Steps:

• Rub duck legs with 1 tablespoon salt, and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with pepper and remaining salt. Add thyme and bay leaves. Refrigerate covered, turning duck occasionally, for 10 to 12 hours, depending on how strong a salt cure is desired.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Rinse duck under cool running water, and pat dry. In a skillet over medium heat, place duck skin side down; cook until fat renders and skin browns, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer meat and reduced fat to a small casserole, placing duck skin side up in one layer. Add enough lard to cover. Cover casserole with a lid, and place it in the oven. Cook until duck has rendered all of its fat and the meat is falling from the bone, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• To preserve duck, pour a layer of fat from the casserole into the bottom of a small terrine. Pack duck on top, and strain the remaining fat from the casserole over the meat. Add additional melted lard, if necessary to cover. Be sure there are no air bubbles in the fat, or the duck will not be properly preserved. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 week to allow flavors to mellow.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place terrine in warm water to melt fat. Remove duck from fat; wiping off excess fat and reserving it for other uses (it makes a wonderful substitute for butter in savory dishes). Place duck in a shallow baking dish, and bake for 5 minutes. Pour off fat, and add to reserved fat. Continue baking until duck is very hot and the skin is crisp, 10 to 15 minutes more.
• Divide greens between four plates. Drizzle with vinaigrette, and top each bed of greens with a crispy duck leg.

DUCK CONFIT

Steps:

• Put the duck legs into a large container (a large, heavy-duty ziplock bag works well) and add the salt, pickling spices, garlic, onion, and thyme. Mix together thoroughly, making sure each leg is coated with the salt. Cover with plastic wrap (if not using a bag) and refrigerate for at least 18 hours and up to 2 days.
• In a very large Dutch oven or other large heavy-based pot, melt most of the fat slowly over low heat. Remove the duck legs from the refrigerator. Reserve the garlic from the marinade. Rinse each duck leg well under cold running water to rinse the salt off, and pat dry well, using paper towels.
• Heat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Slip the legs and the garlic into the pot of warm fat. The fat should cover the duck completely. If it does not, add more fat. Cook the legs over medium heat until the temperature of the fat reaches 190 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy/ frying thermometer, then cover the pot and carefully move it into the oven. Bake at 200 degrees until the legs are fork-tender, about 3 hours.
• Remove the pot from the oven and allow the duck legs to cool in the fat for about half an hour. Have ready one or more clean containers to hold the duck legs and the fat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the legs into the containers. Remove the garlic from the pot, but do not add it to the duck legs - set it aside (see note at end of recipe).
• Allow the duck fat to cool, but do not let it solidify. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the fat over the duck legs, leaving behind any debris or juices from the duck legs, which will have sunk to the bottom of the pot. Make sure that the legs are completely covered, and tap the containers lightly on the counter to help remove any air bubbles. Reserve any remaining clear strained duck fat and store in the refrigerator.
• Refrigerate the confit until the fat hardens fully. When the fat is hard, add another 1/2 inch layer of melted fat (which you saved from earlier, in the fridge. If you did not have enough to save, you could use fresh pork lard or peanut oil) to ensure that the legs are completely sealed in fat. Refrigerate the confit to allow the legs to "mellow" and develop flavor for at least a few days and up to 1 month before using.
• To use the confit, let the fat in the container soften at room temperature. Or set the container in a pan of warm water. Take out as many pieces as you plan to use. Cover the remaining pieces with more fat or peanut oil (the confit becomes more perishable once the seal is broken, so use the rest within a week or so). Scrape away the fat clinging to the confit and use as you like or as directed in a recipe. If you are using the confit on its own in a salad, heat it under a broiler until the skin is crispy.
• Note on garlic: press the garlic through a mesh strainer. You now have an excellent garlic purée to add to sauces, stews, or to spread on bread.