Duck Confit

A few days have passed since I reached a venerable age, a moment that made me think about how time flies, without stopping even for a moment to look back. Although it seems to leave behind both hope and regrets, I decided to celebrate my birthday in a special way. It was a day when I indulged myself, as well as my little one, who had a unique culinary experience: duck confit.

I admit that, although I have tasted this dish about 3500 times (or nearly), it was the first time I prepared it at home. The price of this delicacy is indeed a bit steep, but I thought it was worth it for a special occasion. And, rest assured, my little girl was so delighted that she licked her lips and asked for more. I, on the other hand, was simply enchanted by its taste.

Duck confit is essentially duck slowly cooked in fat, over very low heat, for an extended period. Do you remember the times when grandmothers took the meat out of the pot with fat? Exactly the same process, easy to do, but with a divine taste. Even if it’s a dish you can make only once in a lifetime, I encourage you to try it, because you won’t regret it.

For the recipe, I purchased 6 duck legs, divided into three packages. I washed them, lightly charred them over an open flame to remove any leftover feathers, and scored them. Then, I rubbed them with coarse salt and left them in the fridge for 24 hours to marinate. The next day, I took them out, washed them again, and placed them in a pot with melted fat, adding peppercorns and rosemary.

Now comes the fun part: I left them in the oven for 7 hours, on very low heat. I did this a week before the celebration, as the confit becomes tastier the longer it sits in fat. Imagine me standing next to the oven for 7 hours! The meat must be completely covered with fat to achieve a perfect result.

After 7 hours, I checked the legs and found they were tender and almost falling apart. Carefully, I took them out of the oven and transferred them to a pot. I covered them with the liquid fat and let them cool before putting them in the fridge. A sign that the confit is successful is that at the base of the leg, the bone remains clean, indicating you will enjoy a delicacy.

On the anniversary day, I took the legs out and reheated them, cleaning off the excess fat. I served them alongside creamy mashed potatoes and a elderberry fruit jam, and for a few moments, I forgot about the passage of time. It was a true culinary paradise on my plate! This experience made me realize how important it is to enjoy food and the moments spent with loved ones.