Confit de Canard (Duck Confit)

Duck legs cured in salt and aromatics, then poached low and slow in their own fat until meltingly tender.

Ingredients

• 4 duck legs (leg and thigh)
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns, crushed
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves, crumbled
• 4 cups rendered duck fat

Directions

1. Rub the duck legs all over with the salt, garlic, crushed peppercorns, thyme and bay leaf. Arrange in a dish, cover, and cure in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
2. Rinse the legs well to remove the cure and pat completely dry.
3. Melt the duck fat in a heavy ovenproof pot and submerge the legs fully. The fat should just cover them.
4. Cook in a 225 F oven, uncovered, at a bare simmer until the meat is fork-tender and pulling from the bone, about 2.5 to 3 hours.
5. Let the legs cool in the fat. They can be stored submerged in fat in the refrigerator for weeks.
6. To serve, scrape off excess fat and crisp the legs skin-side down in a hot skillet until the skin is golden and crackling.

Notes

Adapted from Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook; the building block for his cassoulet and a bistro staple.