Crispy Duck Confit Recipe

Crispy Duck Confit
with Roasted Butternut Puree, Hummus,
Sultanas, Popcorn, Fresh Oregano and local Honeymeed

Recipe by Jackie Cameron

I'd like to share a few of the recipes on the Hartford House Christmas tasting menu - a sneak preview of the 12 or so courses, you may say.

Duck is a favourite of mine so I've planned a crispy duck confit with hummus, sultanas and local honey mead, the drink of the gods. Duck thighs cooked in their own juice for three hours are delicious. I prefer doing this on the stove rather than in the oven. It gives me full control and I like to witness the changes as they take place. Serving this with hummus (a crushed chickpea puree) takes the richness from the dish and adds a pleasing creaminess. The sultanas and the honey mead add a sweetness that balances the duck flavour.

Crispy Duck Confit

Ingredients :

Duck fat to cover

Duck Thighs

Maldon Salt

Method :

1) The making of duck fat-when deboning a duck reserve all the fatty off cuts. Place this into a pot and cover with water. Cook this fat until extremely crispy so all the duck fat has been extracted and all the water reduced off so leaving only the duck fat. If this is not enough - cheat duck fat - use half butter half-sunflower oil and you will get a similar result. You could also buy duck fat from Candice at Fragrantly Aromatic Foods-082 812 4648.

2) Lightly salt the duck thighs for a few hours or over night. Rinse, pat dry and then poach the thighs in the duck fat for 3 hours. Never allow boiling only light simmering. Switch the pot off for a few minutes if needed during the process

3) On service place the duck thighs into a pan, place a little water at the base, top with a light sprinkle of Maldon salt and into a hot, 240˚C, oven until crispy

Creamy Hummus

Yields : a small bowl size

Ingredients :

1 tin Chickpeas (strain liquid off and discard it)

5 ml Durban Masala

30 ml Lemon Juice

Salt and Pepper

5 g Garlic

165 ml Olive Oil

20 ml Tahini Paste (made from ground sesame seeds if not available add a few drops of sesame seed oil for flavour)

30 ml Long life Cream

Method :

1) Place all the ingredients into a liquidiser and liquidise (on a high speed) until the desired consistency is reached

Serve the crispy duck thigh with home-style butternut puree, hummus, popcorn (for a texture), fresh oregano and a drizzle of honey mead (Produced and bottled in KZN-Born in Africa-033 2344796) that has been reduced by half

Please post your comments and any food-related questions below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Jackie Cameron
Head Chef
Hartford House
www.hartford.co.za
jackie@hartford.co.za
+27 33 263 2713