Serves 8+, depending on containers used
Ingredients
6 duck legs
350g duck fat
750 ml white wine (this does not have to be expensive wine!)
water if needed
9 cloves garlic
9 sprigs of fresh thyme
6 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp salt plus more to taste
For the Overnight Marinating
6 cloves garlic
6 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs rosemary
3 heaped Tbsp sea salt
3 Tbsp Brandy
1.5 Tbsp Apple Juice
Method
In a mini chopper or pestle and mortar grind all the dry marinating ingredients together, then add the liquids so you have a runny paste.
Rub all over the duck legs, getting under the skin if you can. Refrigerate covered overnight or for at least 8 hours. (I do this in a plastic sealed bag)
When ready to cook, remove the legs, and rinse off the marinade, dry the legs with paper towel or a clean tea towel that can then be washed.
Heat the oil in a large wide pan, that can accommodate the legs, or do them in 2 batches splitting the duck fat between the pans.
On medium high heat, brown the legs all over, add the wine to the pan carefully and simmer gently to get all the duck bits n bobs off the bottom of the pan, and add the remaining ingredients.
Pour all the pan contents into the slow cooker.
Should you wish to oven cook, pour into a sealed casserole dish, and cook as below.
Put your slow cooker onto high for an hour, then drop to low for 4 hours or until the duck meat is falling off the bones.
Remove your pot from the slow cooker and allow the meat to cool in the liquid.
When cool enough to handle, take the duck out of the liquid and remove the skin, take all the meat off the bones, discarding the bones and skin.
Put the remaining liquid into a bowl, this will separate the fat from the stock, and should keep in the fridge for up to a week, it also freezes well.
Using your hands (it really is the best way, but you can use forks!) shred the duck adding some of the liquid and the fat from the bowl, to help emulsify it, a posh word for adding it, to moisten and flavour the dish.
At first it will seem like the meat won’t accept the fat, but if you keep trying, it will go in. Keep adding the liquid in small amounts, until the mix in the bowl is roughly 50-50 fat to meat, or how you like it, I like mine on the edge of being a rough pate, but still with the shredded duck visible, around 25-75 ratio.
Keep tasting as you go along (chefs perks!) and season well with salt and pepper.
When you have the texture you like, put into individual small moulds, glass jars or ramekin dishes, or one larger dish, press down and cover with a layer of duck fat taken from the top of the remaining liquid.
Seal the container and refrigerate for the flavour to improve for at least 1 day, and up to 1 week, this can also be frozen.
Take the rillette’s from the refrigerator for a least 60 minutes before serving.
I like mine served with melba toast or toasted sourdough, cornichons and small pickled onions or red onion chutney.
This is an easy, elegant, rich and delicious make ahead Christmas starter that is perfect for the festive table.
An additional plus, is that you can use the excess leftover duck fat you have put aside in the bowl, to roast your Christmas potatoes in, and use the stock jelly underneath for gravy or sauces.
Should you wish to oven cook the rillettes,
Heat the oven to 130°C/110°C fan/gas ¾, and follow the recipe, when you get to the part where you add to the slow cooker, make sure everything is in a sealed pan/casserole, and covered with liquid.
Cook for 4 hours or until the meat is falling off the bones, then proceed as in the above recipe.
Komentáře