A question about a recipe: Melissa Clark's Really Easy Duck Confit
Ok trying this again. I plan to make duck confit for dinner and would like to roast fingerling potatoes in the duck fat. The logistics of this are a bit of a problem however as the only duck fat I will have is that rendered from the legs used for the confit. If I cook the duck for 3 hours it is just not going to work to then turn around and reuse the fat on the potatoes before dinner. I have 2 choices I think, A) make the confit one day and serve(reheated) the next day with freshly roasted potatoes. B) forget about doing the potatoes in duck fat.
Suggestions? I have made the confit before and I have found it reheats very well. In the past I have made if for myself and it usually finishes cooking about 9 pm. This time around will be for company.
10 Comments
So I may by necessity need to cook the duck a day or 2 in advance of serving. My alternative is to freeze the duck in the seasoned rub ( applied this AM). The first option will work and I know from experience the duck will still be great. IS freezing an option or should I go with the cook and reheat idea.
I often do a quick freeze to meats to extend their life for a few days. I just partially freeze for an hour or so depending on what the meat is.
On the other hand, if you cook it now, you'll have tasted & adjusted the additions to make it good, then serve. If there are any leftovers, you can freeze them, knowing they're ready to serve or add to something like pasta or soup.
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/duck-fat-potato-galette-with-caraway-and-sweet-onions
The duck confit is already a treat for your guests, and most accompaniments (potatoes, green beans, lentils, other vegetables) would be a plus.
Make life easier for yourself when entertaining. You want to avoid being tired and/or worried when you have guests. Do whichever (A or B) works best with your schedule and supplies available in your neighborhood.
FatWorks is a good resource for all kinds of fat from pastured animals. Yes, even the ducks, so that fat is fairly limited.
While I haven't tried Melissa's recipe, I have made confit numerous times before with the intent that I will let it age for several months before serving it. The long term preservation aspect is one of the defining characteristics of this traditional preparation and many believe the confit flavor improves with age.
I find that the duck never renders enough fat for the confit process, so I always add some lard. My notes from the last time I made confit was that the resultant fat was 50% duck fat, 50% lard.
Good luck.
That dovetails with my basic M.O. to keep things simple, especially when entertaining.
The more complicated you make things, the more chances you have of screwing something up. Depending on who your dinner guests are and your confidence in your cooking skills should dictate how you proceed. We don't know anything about either, so it is entirely your call.