Canard Confit – pickled duck

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 duck legs
• 4 duck wings (upper arm – Manchons de Canard)
• 1 garlic bulb(s)
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 100 ml cognac
• 1 kg duck fat
• e.g. sea salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Rest period approx. 3 days; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 3 days 2 hours 45 minutes

most important ingredient for the traditional cassoulet

Remove the duck legs’ hocks and season the meat generously with sea salt and coarsely ground (or better yet, ground) pepper. Place half of the roughly chopped garlic and bay leaves, along with the thyme sprigs, in a shallow bowl, and add the meat. Sprinkle the remaining garlic and herbs over the legs. Pour cognac over the legs, cover, and let marinate in the refrigerator for 36 hours. Melt the duck fat in a large pot large enough to hold the duck legs side by side. Add the meat to the fat along with all the ingredients and any stock that has formed. Cook the duck legs, which must now be completely covered, over low heat for about two hours – the slower the heat, the juicier the confit will be. As soon as the meat separates easily from the bones, remove the duck legs, place them in a bowl, and strain the fat through a fine sieve. Boil the meat juices and any remaining meat from the sieve with one liter of water. Add this liquid to the cassoulet broth. History: For ages, Castelnaudary, Carcassonne, and Toulouse have argued about who invented cassoulet, and each town and each family has a recipe handed down through generations. However, they all agree on one thing: this winter dish calls for pickled duck legs. The Castelnaudary Cassoulet Brotherhood shared their “original recipe” for preparing the duck with me. This recipe serves four people, but the quantities for this dish are generous. Firstly, you’ll need a lot, and secondly: the bigger the batch, the better the dish!