Duck Confit Parmentier

Tags

bistrot cooking, comfort food, cottage pie, Duck, duck confit, mashed potato, parmentier, shephards pie

Duck Confit Parmentier is a French twist on classic shepherd’s pie made with confit duck legs, topped with intensely creamy mashed potato and sprinkled with Parmesan.
I often make my own duck confit – it is very easy and you can prepare it in advance but you can also use canned/preserved duck confit. See Duck confit / Confit de canard for a recipe on how to make your own confit.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the mashed potato:
1.3-1.5kg / 3 to 3.3lbs large russet or other floury potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
60ml / 1/4 cup crème fraîche
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the duck layer:
4 duck confit legs, either store-bought or homemade (other dark meat poultry may be substituted, if desired)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup / 180ml red wine
Fresh parsley, chopped, about a handful
30g / 1oz freshly grated Parmesan

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 180C /375F
To make the duck layer, remove the skin and bones from the duck legs and shred into small pieces
In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the onion and shallots until light gold and tender, about 5-7 minutes
Add the garlic and saute for another 30 seconds
Add the shredded duck meat and parsley and saute for another 2 minutes
Pour in the red wine and simmer to reduce, about 5 minutes
Divide the mixture into your four individual baking dishes
Set aside
In a large pot of salted water, boil potatoes until fork tender, about 15 minutes
Drain then squeeze potatoes through a ricer, into a large bowl for smooth creamy mash or simply mash with a fork or masher for a more rustic version
Fold in butter and crème fraîche
Season to taste with salt and pepper
Top the duck mixture with the mashed potato
Using a fork, flatten the potato into an even layer
Sprinkle the Parmesan on top, then bake until golden brown – about 25 minutes
Enjoy!

Duck confit crispy spring rolls

Tags

appetizer, Duck, duck confit, Foie Gras, hors d'œuvres, nems, spring rolls

Serves 8

Ingredients:

6 sheets of filo pastry
2 legs of duck confit meat, off the bone and shredded
2 slices of cooked foie gras (optional), cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons smooth apricot jam
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce such as Tabasco or sriracha (to taste)
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon water or orange juice
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder
1 tablespoon finely diced shallot
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon toasted, chopped almonds
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 210C / 420F
Mix the jam, hot sauce and the vinegar, add a bit of water (or orange juice) and set aside
Place the meat, ginger, Chinese 5 spice powder, shallot, parsley and almonds in a bowl
Season to taste and mix well
Delicately stir in the foie gras
Cut each sheet of filo into four
Place a spoonful of the mixture at one end of a filo rectangle, in the centre
Roll the filo around the filling until halfway along the filo sheet, then fold each side of unfilled pastry into the centre
Resist the urge to over stuff
Continue rolling into a cylinder and brush with the butter to seal
Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and brush with butter
Repeat with the remaining pastry sheets
Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes until golden and crisp
Serve hot with sweet chilli sauce
Enjoy!

Duck confit / Confit de canard

Tags

confit, Duck, duck confit, south western cooking, traditional cooking

A standard on most bistro menus in France, you can even buy it in jars and cans ready to eat in all supermarkets but nothing beats making it yourself. It is a traditional, simple, classic French cooking in one bite, kind of dish and I believe it is best served, as is, accompanied by some french fries cooked in duck or goose fat. Perfection on a plate.
Make the duck confit at least 24 hours before you want to serve this dish.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 medium duck legs
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
600 g / 3 cups rendered duck or goose fat
1 bay leaf
4 garlic cloves, peeled, whole
Thyme, fresh, a few sprigs

Preparation:

Rub a generous amount of salt and black pepper into the duck legs
Place in a shallow dish, cover, and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 to 24 hours (not more), turning the legs over halfway through
Rinse the duck legs with cold water and dry well with paper towels
Preheat the oven to  140C / 285F
Melt the duck or goose fat in a dish or pan large enough to hold all 4 legs in a single layer
Add the bay leaf, garlic and thyme and cook over medium heat for a few minutes
Add the legs, making sure they are completely submerged, cover and transfer the dish to the oven
Cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, then remove from the oven and leave to cool in the fat
Chill (in the fat) for at  least 24 hours or until needed

To serve, you can reheat the duck in one of two ways
Preheat the oven to 220C / 440F
Lift the duck legs out of the fat and wipe off most but not quite all of it with a paper towel
Put them skin–side up onto a rack resting over a roasting tin and roast for 15-20 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden and the meat has heated through
Alternatively, sauté the legs in a frying pan over medium heat until crisp golden and heated through
Either way, they are delicious
Serve with french fries
Bon Appétit!

Save