Posts Tagged ‘duck’

Crispy Duck Confit

Confit de canard (‘preserved’ duck, aka duck confit) is a traditional French dish of duck that is salt-cured, then slowly simmered in duck fat until meltingly tender. Traditionally, the duck confit was stored in sterilized jars under a thick layer of duck fat to preserve it. While making duck confit is a multi-day procedure, excellent duck confit is available canned and in vacuum pouches. Although it’s not strictly necessary to preserve the duck in these products, the fat is still added as a traditional touch. Briefly sauteed in a skillet, then given a quick crisping under the broiler, duck confit makes a fast and delicious meal.

Magret of Duck with Sour Cherries

Gamey red meat like duck pairs beautifully with a cherry sauce — the slight acidity of the fruit cuts through the richness of the meat. Red wine and shallots cooked until soft and sweet round out the sauce.

Cassoulet with Duck Confit and Toulouse Sausage

Cassoulet is a rustic, slow-cooked braise made with white beans and an assortment of meats, topped with a crunchy bread-crumb crust. There are as many versions as there are vooks! This version includes tarbais beans, duck confit and the garlic sausages that are a specialty of Toulouse. Tarbais beans have been grown for centuries in Tarbes, at the foot of the French Pyrénées. Extraordinarily thin skin, and sweet, creamy flesh make haricots tarbais the cassoulet bean.

Smoked Duck Tartine with Mixed Green Salad and Red Wine-Dijon Vinaigrette

A tartine (tar-TEEN) is a French open-faced sandwich. Enjoy this for lunch or a light dinner.