For this classic French recipe, duck legs are dry-brined and braised in an aromatic stock, then shredded and mixed with Armagnac and spices and sealed into a serving dish with duck fat to make a delicious spread for a toasted baguette. If you are pressed for time you can buy pre-packaged duck confit from your butcher or local market, or if you already have duck confit saved in your freezer, skip the brining and braising in this recipe and go directly to Step 3 in the directions below.

Duck Rillettes
Serves 2-4 as a light appetizer

INGREDIENTS
· 2 duck legs
· 2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme, plus 4 sprigs
· 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
· 1 tablespoon ground ginger
· 5+ cups duck or chicken stock (enough to cover the legs and other ingredients)
· ½ tablespoon whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed, plus freshly ground, to taste
· 5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
· 1 bay leaf
· 1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and thinly sliced
· 1 ½ tablespoons Armagnac or brandy
· 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
· 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
· 1 pinch of ground cloves (or 5 Spice Powder)
· ¼ cup duck fat
· Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
· Toast points, for serving
· Cornichons, pickled carrots, onions, radishes, or turnips, for serving (optional)

PREPARATION

Place the duck on a baking sheet and rub with finely chopped thyme, salt, and powdered ginger. Cover with plastic wrap; chill 4 hours or up to 8.
Brush excess spice mixture from the duck and transfer to a 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the thyme sprigs, stock, peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves, and ginger root; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, partially covered, until meat is very tender, 1 ½ –2 hours. (Check periodically and add more stock if necessary to keep the ingredients submerged.) Remove the pan from heat and let the ingredients cool in the pan until room temperature. Cover and chill overnight.
Next day, scrape solidified fat from top of the braising stew and set aside. Pull the duck from the pan and discard skin, bones, and gristle; finely shred the meat. Strain and reserve 2 tablespoons of stock for the rillettes; save the remaining stock for future use.
Transfer the shredded meat to a bowl and add the reserved stock, plus Armagnac or brandy, parsley, orange zest, cloves (or 5 Spice Powder), salt, and pepper; stir well to combine. Tightly pack the rillettes into a 6-ounce inch ramekin. Melt the reserved fat over medium heat; pour over the rillettes, refrigerate, and chill until the fat is solid; cover with plastic wrap. Save and refrigerate any left-over duck fat to use for roasting potatoes, or sauteing veggies, or mushrooms.
To serve, push the fat aside and spread the rillettes on toast points. Serve accompanied with cornichons or pickled vegetables of your choice. To store, redistribute the fat over the rillettes and cover with plastic wrap. Will keep, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.

Wine pairing: Soave, Pinot Gris, Viognier, or dry Riesling; fruit forward Rosé, Beaujolais, or light Pinot Noir. Avoid high tannin red wines.

Adapted from: www.saveur.com/article/recipes/ruck-rillettes/

print recipe