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Main Dishes |
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INGREDIENTS:
4 whole duck legs with thighs attached (about 2 lbs), excess
fat trimmed and rendered
1 tbs plus 1/8 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 garlic cloves
4 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 1/2 tsps whole black peppercorns
4 cps olive oil or duck fat or as needed
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DIRECTIONS:
At least 2 days before serving, lay the duck legs skin side down
on a platter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt and
the ground pepper.
Place
the garlic cloves, bay leaves, and sprigs of thyme on 2 of the
legs. Lay the remaining 2 legs skin side up on top.
Put the reserved fat from the ducks in the bottom of a nonreative
container and top with the sandwiched duck pieces. Sprinkle with
the remaining 1/8 tsp kosher salt. Cover tightly with plastic
wrap. Refrigerate to cure for 12 hours.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
Remove the duck from the container. Remove the garlic, bay leaves,
thyme, and duck fat and reserve. Rinse the duck under cold running
water, rubbing off some of the salt and pepper. Pat the duck dry
with paper towels.
Put the reserved garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and duck fat in an
enameled cast iron pot or deep glass baking dish, and sprinkle
evenly with the peppercorns and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Lay
the duck pieces skin side down on top and add enough olive oil to
cover.
Cover and bake until the meat pulls away from the bone, 12 to 14
hours.
Remove the duck from the fat. Strain the fat into a bowl and
reserve.
Preserving
Place in a bowl or
other container and pour the fat on top to seal it from the air.
Refrigerate. The fat will probably crack when solidifying. Top
with a little melted fat that will insert in the cracks and
"seal" the meat. Repeat as often as necessary.
The dish is now
preserved and can be kept for a week or two.
Serving
To serve, extract the
legs gently from the fat without breaking them, and roast or
broil in a hot oven for 5 to 10 minutes until the skin is
crispy.
Servings: 4
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