Confit duck legs (it’s not as difficult as it sounds!)

It’s the season for slow and sticky braises, confits, and hot soup. Though the salad section in the supermarket is still packed with Spanish lettuces, it’s time to dig deeper underground for celeriac, parsnips and Jerusalem artichokes. If you want them to taste as they should, try the vegetable market in town- their produce is exciting and flavourful, and can normally be bought for much less than the bland supermarket imposters. One of my favourite things to eat at this time of year is confit duck leg. Duck legs are cheap, and packed with flavour when cooked this way. If you want to stick seasonal, pair them with glazed turnips and sautéed potatoes.

A quick note on herbs

Supermarkets (and even good food markets) charge far too much for herbs. Many herbs grow in the wild, but as enterprising students, why not look a little closer to home?  Herbs compliment the bold earthy flavours of winter vegetables and are available for free if you know where to look. Fresh thyme can be found opposite the Berrick Saul building on campus, hidden behind the lavender plants. I pick a big sprig every other day on campus, and occasionally take a handful of chives (which grow in the same place) as well. For rosemary go to the huge bush next to the information centre and take as much as you need.

Ingredients:

For the duck:

4 duck legs

2 large sprigs of rosemary and 4 or 5 sprigs of thyme

4 cloves of garlic halved

10 crushed black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

1 litre vegetable oil (or 1kg duck fat if you can find it)

30-50g Good quality salt (Maldon for example)

For the turnips:

10 turnips

50g unsalted butter

For the sautéed potatoes:

6 large potatoes

50g unsalted butter

2 cloves of garlic

1 sprig of thyme

Mix the salt, thyme, rosemary, garlic and peppercorns together and sprinkle over the flesh side of the duck legs. Leave in the fridge overnight (or for 6-8 hours if you’re starting early)

Next wash off the salt with cold water, keeping the aromatics. Warm the oil or duck fat in an oven suitable dish. Add the aromatics, then the duck legs skin side up- ideally the fat will cover the meat. Cover with foil and cook at 90-100 degrees Celsius for 2 and a half to 3 hours, or until tender. Keep the remaining fat for future dishes.

Peel then cut the potatoes into 2cm cubes, put in cold salted water and bring to the boil. Cook until almost cooked- that is cook until the cubes retain just a little bite. Melt the butter and add the garlic, chopped and the thyme leaves. Cook on a low heat for 1 minutes (don’t burn the garlic) then leave to cool. Check the seasoning.

For the turnips you will need a saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Peel and quarter the turnips. Melt the butter in the pan, then wait till it foams, at this point the water is evaporating. Watch closely, the butter will begin to brown and smell nutty (this is called beurre noisette) once this has happened add the turnips and 100ml of water along with a decent pinch of salt. The idea is to keep the butter at the noisette stage to flavour the turnips. Add a tight fitting lid and cook for 10-12 minutes until the vegetables are soft. If the water evaporates (you will hear a sizzling) just add a little more. Check the seasoning.

Heat the garlic and thyme butter in a sauté pan and toss the potatoes in it until lightly browned. Check the seasoning. Meanwhile crisp up the skin side of the duck legs in a hot pan.

Serve the duck, turnips and potatoes with a seasonal green vegetable- kale for example.