Duck Confit

Ingredients

• sea salt, for curing
• 4 clovegarlic, for curing and flavouring
• 4 leafbay leaves, for curing
• thyme, fresh; for curing
• 4duck legs
• 100 mlwhite wine, poured into pan before cooking; alcohol cooked off

Method

1. 1

   Scatter half the salt, half the garlic and half 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 and refrigerate overnight, or up to 2 days.

2. 2

   Pour the white 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.

3. 3

   Cover with a lid and place over medium heat. As soon as the wine starts to bubble, reduce to the lowest possible heat. Cook for 2 hours, checking occasionally that the liquid is barely simmering. After 2 hours the duck legs should be submerged in rendered fat and the meat extremely tender. Leave to cool.

4. 4

   The duck legs are now cooked and can be eaten at once, or packed tightly into a container, covered in the fat (not the liquid at the bottom), and refrigerated for up to a month or frozen for up to 3 months.

5. 5

   To crisp and reheat, heat oven to 220C / 200C fan / Gas 7. Place the legs skin-side down in an ovenproof frying pan and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, turning halfway, until brown and crisp. Serve with the reserved cooking liquid reheated as gravy.