Classic French duck confit — duck legs salt-cured overnight, then slow-cooked in their own fat until meltingly tender, and crisped in the oven before serving.
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Preparation
- The day before, scatter half the salt, half the garlic and half the herbs over the base of a small shallow dish. Lay the duck legs skin-side up on top, scatter over the remaining salt, garlic and herbs, cover, and refrigerate overnight (or up to 2 days).
- Pour the wine into a saucepan that snugly fits the duck legs in a single layer. Brush the salt off the legs and place them skin-side down in the wine. Cover with a lid and set over medium heat. As soon as the wine bubbles, turn the heat to its lowest setting and cook for 2 hours, checking occasionally that it's barely simmering (a heat diffuser helps here). The legs should end up submerged in their own fat and feel incredibly tender when prodded. Leave to cool.
- The legs are now cooked and can be eaten straight away, or crisped (next step). To store, pack them tightly into a container, pour over the fat but not the liquid at the bottom, cover, and keep in the fridge for up to a month or freeze for up to 3 months. The leftover liquid makes a tasty gravy.
- To reheat and crisp, heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Remove the legs from the fat, place skin-side down in an ovenproof frying pan, and roast for 30–40 minutes, turning halfway, until brown and crisp. Serve with the reheated gravy, a crisp salad and golden potatoes.
