'Confit' of duck - my way

The traditional way of cooking confit of duck is, of course, to slowly poach the meat in a pan of duck fat.  A great way of doing it on high days and holidays (the tins of fat are rather expensive to my mind) however I like to eat crispy duck more often than that.

This is confit of duck my way.  And bloody marvellous it is too.  Really crisp tasty skin and meltingly tender flesh.  Food does not get much better than this.

Unless you are cooking this dish (to eat) on a weekend and have the luxury of pottering around the flat and can keep tabs on things it is important to remember to do the initial poaching the night before you want to eat.  

I tend to put the ducks legs on and leave them to simmer whilst I prepare and demolish another meal.  If I have it on by 7 I can turn the heat off as I head to bed. The fowl limbs will cool in their cooking liquor overnight.  I remove them from their tepid bath and pop them in the fridge in the morning.

Ducks legs (however many you fancy; I tend to do 2 at a time)

A  couple of sticks of celery chopped in half

1 large carrot cut in half lengthways

1 large onion, un-peeled and cut in half across the equator

2 bay leaves

4 or 5 peppercorns

Put your ducks legs (a phrase which always makes me snicker) into a large saucepan.

Add the remaining ingredients and cover with cold water.

Bring to the boil and then turn to the lowest heat setting.  Gently poach for 3 hours with the lid on, checking from time to time to make sure the pan does not run dry.

Allow to cool in the cooking liquor.  When cool carefully lift out the legs.  I use a large slotted spoon (although I have often resorted to hands).  The legs will feel very fragile indeed but all is ok.  Nurse them gingerly onto a plate and put uncovered into the fridge.  They will keep quite happily for a couple of days.

Half an hour before you are ready to eat turn the oven to 200, remove the legs from the fridge and transfer them to a greased baking sheet.  If you are feeling particularly idle line the sheet with greaseproof paper.  No washing up you see. Cook the legs for 20 minutes or  longer until the skin is lovely and crispy.

Things to do with your ducks legs

serve with choy sum anointed with oyster sauce

as part of a warm salad; alongside dry fried black pudding, rocket and sticky balsamic drizzle

place atop a piping hot stew of puy lentils, bacon, onion and parsley

shred into a warm soft tortilla with cucumber and spring onion sticks and sweet chilli sauce