Duck leg confit is one of my favorite French dishes. The duck is slightly salty, mildly gamey, and has a crispy skin. In France, you will find duck confit on the menu of most brasseries. It is often served with crispy potatoes fried in duck fat and with a side salad. The process to make duck confit is a long one, which includes salt curing in the refrigerator for a couple of days and the poaching in its own fat for several hours. The duck is then pan-fried until the skin is crispy.
I’ve made duck confit in the past, but now for convenience sake, I buy it from my local specialty or gourmet shop. For my duck confit hash recipe, buying pre-made duck confit works beautifully. The recipe is relatively easy, and perfect for a special occasion like Mother’s Day Brunch. This recipe makes 2 servings, but you can double the recipe if you need more. Just remember, one duck leg confit and 4 ounces of potato per person. Enjoy!
Duck Confit Hash
Serving Size: 2
8 ounces of Yukon gold potato, 1 medium
Duck fat* or olive oil
2 prepared duck leg confit, about 8 ounces with the bones*
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of fresh time leaves, chopped
1/2 cup of reduced duck stock or veal stock**
Sea salt
Freshly grated black pepper
1 tablespoon of chopped Italian parsley (extra for garnish)
2 farm fresh eggs, poached soft
Cayenne for garnish, optional
1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Peel and cut the Yukon gold potatoes to 1 inch dice.
3. Toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of melted duck fat or olive oil and sprinkle a little salt and freshly grated pepper. Transfer the potatoes to a sheet pan. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until nice and crispy.
4. Meanwhile, hand shred the duck confit meat off the bone. You want the meat in bite-size pieces.
5. Poach the 2 eggs at this time for about 2 minutes. Place the poached eggs on a paper towel until ready to use. Set aside.
6. Heat a large sauté pan to medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon of duck fat or olive oil to pan. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
7. Add the duck confit meat and the chopped thyme. Sauté until the duck gets slightly crispy, about 2 minutes.
8. Add the roasted potatoes and sauté for 1 more minute. Add the salt and pepper to taste.
9. Pour the reduced stock and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened.
10. Divide the hash in to serving bowls and top with a poached egg. Sprinkle cayenne pepper and parsley. Serve immediately.
*Duck fat and duck leg confit can be purchased at a gourmet food store like Bristol Farms or Dean & Deluca, or online on Amazon. You can also purchase the duck leg confit in duck fat and get both ingredients in one purchase.
**Duck stock or veal stock can be purchased at your local gourmet food store. Make sure you purchase the frozen version without any salt. You can also use chicken stock if you can’t find duck or veal stock. Place 1 cup of stock in a small sauce pan. Cook on high heat until the stock is reduced by 1/2.
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