Your Goose is Cooked but Your Duck Is Confited

DAY 23 of THE ADVENT CALENDAR of COOKBOOKS

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you probably dream about a white Christmas; one filled with snow, frosted window panes, maple sugar candy, and catching snowflakes on your tongue. I recently read that we should blame Dickens and his experience living through the last years of The Little Ice Age for our yearnings. That lasted from the early 14th century through the mid-19th century and colors lots of holiday literature. It’s as if longing for a white Christmas is baked into our DNA.

Another thing we seem to yearn for is a rural Christmas--one filled with pine trees and horse-drawn sleighs, red berries and mistletoe. One of those books that leans into this lifestyle is CHRISTMAS AT RIVER COTTAGE by Lucy Brazier. This is part of The River Cottage series by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingsstall and his team.

CONTENTS

The River Cottage is a regenerative working farm, and its books focus on nose and garden-to-fork cooking. There are delicious recipes for preserving, making holiday liqueurs, cooking enormous roasts, and whipping up batches of huge stews. You’ll find lists and tasks to help you stay on point, and encouragement to live a more regenerative life while trying new things.

Rating: 6 out of 5 Holly Berries

Bonus: The music I’m listening to today is RECOMPOSED by Max Richter.

DUCK CONFIT WITH A SALAD OF ARUGULA, ROASTED BEETS, AND MANDARINS (courtesy of Lucy Brazier and me)

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS FOR THE DUCK CONFIT

• 4 free-range duck legs (with as much fat as possible)

• 600 ml of rendered duck or goose fat

• You will need a 1½ litre Kilner jar or lidded container of similar capacity.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SEASONING PASTE

• 40 grams of flaky sea salt

• 1 good teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• A few sprigs of thyme and rosemary, leaves picked, and stems discarded

• 4 or 5 bay leaves

• 1 star anise, ground

• Finely grated zest of 1 orange

• 4 to 6 garlic cloves, peeled

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SALAD

• 4 cups of arugula

• 2 large or 4 small beets, roasted, peeled, and sliced

• 4 Mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented

• ¼ of thinly sliced red onion

• ⅓ cup balsamic vinaigrette

METHOD FOR THE DUCK CONFIT

METHOD FOR THE SEASONING PASTE

1. Using a mortar and pestle, crush all the ingredients together, including the orange zest and garlic, to form a paste.

2. Rub this aromatic paste thoroughly into the skin and meat of the duck legs. 

3. Place them into a roomy container, put the lid on it, or cover or use plastic wrap, and leave in the fridge for up to 48 hours. 

4. Give the duck legs another massage with the paste mixture after 24 hours.

WHEN TOU ARE READY TO COOK

1. Preheat your oven to 250°F.

2. Remove the duck legs from the fridge and scrape the paste off them. 

3. Heat a little duck fat in a pan over medium heat.

4. Add the legs, skin-side down, to brown them. Turn and repeat on the other side. Make sure the legs will fit snugly.

5. Transfer the legs to a deep oven-safe roasting pan. 

6. Pour the rendered duck fat over the legs to almost cover them.

7. Place in the oven and cook for at least 2½ hours or until the meat practically falls off the bone. If the legs aren’t completely covered by the fat, carefully turn them a couple of times during the cooking.

8. Remove from the oven to completely cool.

9. Pack the legs snugly into the jar and pour enough fat to completely submerge the legs. Cover with the lid. Preserved like this, the duck legs will keep for 3 months in the fridge.

WHEN YOU ARE READY TO SERVE

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

2. Lift the duck legs out of the container and scrape off most of the fat. (Save that fat for roasting potatoes.)

3. Now lay the duck legs skin-side down on a roasting tray and place in the hot oven for 5 minutes.

4. Drain off the melted fat and turn the duck over with the skin-side up.

5. Roast for another 8 to 10 minutes—until it’s piping hot and the skin is crispy.

6. Serve with the salad.

METHOD FOR THE SALAD

1. When the duck is almost ready, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and toss with the dressing.

2. Serve immediately with the duck.