Duck Confit Sandwich →

One of the great traditions of French cooking is Duck Confit: duck legs are slow-cooked in duck fat flavored with herbs and then seared on a hot skillet until crispy. The result is fall-off-the-bone tender, flavorful duck meat, and perfectly crispy skin. Welcome to Duck Meat Nirvana! If you want to avoid having to buy a lot of expensive liquid-gold duck fat, using the sous vide method employed in many high-end restaurant kitchens reduces the amount of duck fat (and cost) required to cook the confit. If you already sous vide at home and you love duck, this recipe is a must-try! Bon appétit! 

Duck Confit Sandwich
Serves 2
Ingredients

• 2 whole duck legs

• 3 sprigs fresh thyme

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

• 1/2 cup duck fat

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 brioche buns or sourdough rolls

• Aioli

• Cranberry Relish

• Bib or Boston lettuce 

For the confit
When using the sous vide method, it is very important to be familiar with the safety protocols of sous vide cooking. See the links below.

1. Using a mortar pestle or spice grinder, pulverize the thyme, peppercorns, and salt and rub all over the duck. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

2. Set the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 170°F (76°C).

3. Remove the duck from the refrigerator, rinse, and pat dry with paper towels. Place duck, duck fat, and bay leaves in a large zipper lock or vacuum seal bag. Seal using the water immersion technique or a vacuum sealer on the moist setting.

4. Place the bag in the water bath and set the timer for 12 hours. If not using a sous vide cooker with a cover, cover the water bath with tin foil or plastic wrap to minimize water evaporation. Add water intermittently to keep the duck submerged.

5. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. If serving immediately, remove the duck from the bag and season with salt and pepper.

6. If you are not serving the duck immediately, leave the duck legs sealed in the bag. Plunge the bag into a bath of ice water for 5-10 minutes and refrigerate for up to two weeks. When ready to serve, remove the duck legs from the bag and scrape off excess fat. Sear, following the following directions.

7. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the duck legs, skin side down, and cook until well-browned, about 5 minutes. 

For the sandwich
If you are using storebought duck confit, skip the first 6 steps above. 

1. After searing the confit legs, using a fork, strip the luscious, tender duck meat off the bone. It should be fall-off-the-bone tender.
2. Cut your brioche roll in half and spread a bit of duck fat on each face and toast on a hot skillet until just beginning to brown. Remove from the heat and smear some aioli on each half of the roll.
3. Lay on a bed of lettuce. Mound on the shredded confit and top with cranberry relish.
4. Welcome to Duck Meat Nirvana! Enjoy!

Wine pairing: Chablis, Burgundy, Soave, Viognier, Dry Riesling. A chilled Rosé or a good quality Pinot Noir would also work.

Sous vide safety
https://www.food-safety.com/articles/7474-food-safety-with-the-art-of-sous-vide
https://www.sousvidemagazine.com/the-latest/tips-techniques/sous-vide-safety/ 

Confit recipe: by Emily Farris and Jeff Akin, co-founders of Feed Me Creative, a former culinary creative agency in Kansas City, MO.
https://recipes.anovaculinary.com/recipe/sous-vide-duck-leg-confit 

Crispy Duck Confit Spring Rolls →

Question: what happens when Peking Duck marries a Vietnamese spring roll? Answer: something delicious! I love duck! This dish consists of rich, crispy duck confit, tangy-crunchy pickled carrot, cilantro, Hoisin sauce, cucumber, and shredded scallion, all wrapped up nicely in a tender spring roll wrapper. (All 5 Tastes!) The only tricky thing about this recipe is learning how to use the delicate rice wrapper to roll up the goodies, but once you do, you’re sure to keep coming back for more and you will be making your own spring roll recipes full of tasty healthy ingredients. Once you master the wrappers, everything else is a snap! If you love duck the way I do, this is a must-try recipe. Enjoy!

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

Crispy Duck Confit Spring Rolls
Serves 4 as a light meal or first course

Ingredients: prepare and assemble your ingredients ahead.

• 2 legs crispy duck confit

• pickled carrot matchsticks (recipe below)

• a small hand full of fresh cilantro, thick stems removed

• Hoisin sauce (about a tablespoon per spring roll) available at your supermarket or local Asian specialty market)

• ½ a small cucumber, peeled and seeded, and cut into thin matchsticks

• 4 scallions, the light green and white parts shredded

• Vietnamese spring roll wrappers. You can find these at your local market or Asian specialty market. For ease of use, buy the larger-size wrappers.

Preparation:

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

1. Prepare the pickled carrot and ginger:
Makes about 1 cup

• 1 medium carrot, peeled, and cut into thin matchsticks

• ¼ teaspoon salt + a pinch

• ¼ cup + 1 teaspoon sugar

• ¾ cup of white vinegar

• ½ cup lukewarm water

• 6 thin slices of fresh ginger

1. Place the carrot matchsticks in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Mix around for a minute or two expelling the water from them. They will soften and liquid will pool at the bottom of the bowl. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water, then press gently to expel extra water. Dry gently with a paper towel and return the carrot sticks to the bowl along with the ginger.

2. Make the brine. In a bowl, combine the sugar, a pinch of salt, vinegar, ginger, and water, and stir to dissolve the sugar.

3. Pour the sugar-vinegar mixture over the ginger and carrot sticks. The brine should cover the vegetables. Let the vegetables marinate in the brine for at least 1 hour before eating, or transfer them to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to a week.

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

2. Prepare the crispy duck confit:
You can either buy duck confit at the market or make your own. I highly recommend Hellen Rennie’s YouTube video “Duck Confit with a Crisping Hack”. It walks you through how to make your own duck confit and then how to make the crispy skin by removing the leg bones and frying the confit skin down on a hot pan. If you buy the confit already prepared, simply put the legs with thighs in the microwave for about a minute or a toaster oven for 2-3 minutes to heat them up so you can twist the bones out of the meat. Fry the duck meat on a hot pan, pressing skin down until it is crisp. (2-3 minutes) Turn the meat over and cook for another minute or two until warm through. Don’t overcook and dry-out the meat.

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

3. Re-hydrate the spring roll wrappers:
This may take a couple of tries, but the reward is more than worth the effort. It took me a couple of tries before I produced a reasonably presentable spring roll. Persist and you will be making your own spring roll recipes full of tasty, healthy ingredients in no time. Basically, you gently remove the thin dry wrappers from the container (they are very brittle) and dip them one at a time into warm water for about 3-4 seconds. Lay the wet wrapper on a clean, dry, wooden cutting board and proceed with assembling the spring rolls one at a time very much like making a burrito. Work quickly so the wrapper doesn’t dry out and stick to the cutting board. If you want a video to learn how to re-hydrate and use spring roll wrappers, Google “How to make fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls”.

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

4. Spread 2-3 teaspoons of Hoisin in the middle of the damp wrapper from one side to the other and cover with a few pickled matchstick carrots and cucumber, a few sprigs of cilantro, and shredded scallions. Place a few pieces of duck on the wrapper next to the smear of Hoisin and veggies and gently roll-up. Option 1: fold two opposite sides of the wrapper over the end-length of the ingredients and gently begin to roll up the spring roll. Option 2: leave one end open like a burrito.

“Duck Confit with a Crisping Hack”- Hellen Rennie on YouTube
To learn how to make Vietnamese Spring Rolls, Google “How to make fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls”.

Spice Rubbed Duck Breast →

In traditional Western European cooking, duck is commonly served with a “fruity” sauce like an orange, cherry, or raspberry sauce to balance the fatty richness of the duck. Delicious! But, have you ever tried Asian spice-rubbed duck with a slightly sweet, tangy, anise (licorice) flavored sauce? Who knew anise is a perfect companion flavor for duck? After I had it served at a restaurant, I had to find the recipe. The recipe below is my adaptation of a recipe I found many years ago titled “A Very Easy Roasted Duck Breast”, source unknown. The Cranberry-Orange relish/garnish is a good counterpoint to the sauce and the richness of the duck and adds a “high-note” to the flavors in the recipe. If you love duck, you have to try this recipe! Enjoy!

Serves 2 people

Ingredients:

• 1 Duck Breast, at room temperature, with skin removed-just pull it off (see *Note)

• salt & pepper

• 1 teaspoon ground Szechuan peppercorns (or 1 ½ tsp. black peppercorns) (you can find Szechuan peppercorns at Asian specialty stores)

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder (available in the Asian spice section of your supermarket, or Asian specialty stores)

• 1-star anise

• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar

• 1/2 cup of chicken broth

• 2 teaspoons of duck fat, reserved from duck breast skin

• 1 sprig of fresh thyme

• 1 clove of garlic, crushed

Preparation:

1. Using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, crush the Szechuan peppercorns with cumin until you have a fine powder; use a fine sieve to remove any hard pits from the Szechuan peppercorns left in the spice mix powder. Combine the spice mix with the garlic powder and stir to combine well and set aside.

2. Season the duck breast with salt and pepper, and rub the seasoning spice on both sides of the duck breast. Let the duck breast sit for about 15 minutes (or more) so the flavors of the spice get a chance to work its magic. It would be best if you could let it sit in the fridge overnight. (If you refrigerate overnight, be sure to take the duck breast out of the refrigerator for at least a half-hour to bring it to room temperature before adding it to the hot pan.)

3. Heat a skillet on the stove with two teaspoons of duck fat or canola oil. Once the skillet is really hot, put the duck breast on the skillet and let it sear for 4 minutes over medium heat.

4. After 4 minutes, turn the duck breast over and cook for another 4 minutes. (for medium-rare)

5. Remove duck breast onto a cutting board to let it rest for 10 minutes covered with aluminum foil.

To make the sauce:

6. In the same skillet, add two teaspoons of duck fat and crushed garlic. Saute until the garlic is fragrant and then add the chicken broth, star anise, brown sugar, five-spice powder, and thyme. Scrape fond (froth) off the skillet and let the concoction boil until it is reduced by half. Strain the sauce using a medium or fine sieve, pressing the solids to extract as much of the flavorful juice as possible.

7. To serve, slice the duck breast diagonally across the grain as thin as you want, serve with some sauce and a spoonful of Cranberry-Orange relish. (see **Note)

A medium-bodied red wine like a Grenache, Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Cote du Rhone will pair well with the subtle licorice flavor of the sauce and the richness of the duck.

*Note: if you want to render the precious duck fat from the duck skin you pulled off the breast, cut the skin into ¾ inch strips, place the strips on a grate over a pan in the oven or your toaster oven and cook, turning once, for 20 minutes at 400 degrees, or until the skin is brown and crispy. Pour the fat into a heat-proof container and allow it to cool; refrigerate covered for up to several weeks. Try sprinkling salt on the crispy duck skin for a self-indulgent treat.

**Note: for Cranberry-Orange relish, cut an orange in half, remove the segments from one half with a spoon as you would grapefruit segments, and mix the segments into a ½ cup of the Cranberry-Pomegranate relish found on this website.