duck confit with crispy potatoes & bitter leaf salad

A CLASSIC FRENCH CONFIT IS SET TO IMPRESS AGAINST THE SOFT ORGANIC TONES AND TEXTURES OF THIS MOODY SETTING

PREPARATION TIME 30 minutes (plus 6-8 hours salting & overnight refrigeration time) COOKING TIME 2 hours 50 minutes

2 duck marylands 6 sprigs thyme, leaves and stems coarsely chopped 2 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed ¼ tsp juniper berries, crushed 50g fine sea salt 700g can duck fat (see note) 1½ tbsp water 250g kipfler potatoes, scrubbed 2 tsp sherry vinegar 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 1 handful baby endive leaves ½ green witlof, leaves trimmed, separated

1. Pat the duck marylands dry with paper towel. Combine thyme, garlic, juniper berries and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle half of the salt mixture in the base of an airtight container large enough to fit the duck. Add the duck and sprinkle with the remaining salt mixture. Cover and place in the fridge for 6-8 hours (it will be too salty if you leave it any longer).

2. Preheat oven to 140°C. Remove duck from salt and rinse lightly with cold water; pat dry with paper towel. Place fat and water in a small flameproof and ovenproof pan with lid, where the duck will fit snugly. Heat until fat has melted and is just starting to bubble. Add the duck, making sure it is fully submerged. Cover with a round of baking paper, then the lid. Bake for 2 hours or until duck is very tender. If the flesh from the leg has pulled away, exposing the bone, it should be ready. Remove pan from oven and cool to room temperature. Place pan in fridge overnight to develop the flavours.

3. Preheat oven to 220°C. Place potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes or until just tender. Drain and halve lengthways. Place potatoes on an oven tray. Add 1 tablespoon of duck fat from the pan of confit. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden and crisp. Cover with foil and keep warm while reheating the duck.

4. Preheat grill to medium-high. Remove the duck from fat. Wipe away excess fat with paper towel, being careful not to break the skin. Place the duck on a small oven tray and grill for 3 minutes or until skin is golden and crisp.

5. Whisk the vinegar and oil in a small jug. Season with salt and pepper. Divide salad leaves among serving plates, drizzle with some of the dressing. Top with a duck maryland and a little more dressing. Serve with the crispy potatoes.

NOTE: Duck fat can be reused to cook more confit or fry other vegetables. To store, return fat to the boil, then strain into a heatproof container. Cover and store in the fridge for up to two months. Duck fat is available from supermarkets, providores and quality butchers. If you don’t have quite enough fat to cover the duck, top up with olive oil.