This Duck confit recipe with huckleberry and potato is one of my all time favorite preparations for duck legs. Confit is a french technique, where you cure the protein (in this case duck legs) for 12-24 hours and then cook the duck legs in its own fat (duck fat).
You cook the legs slow and low until they practically fall off the bone. Because the meat has been cured with salt, the duck legs have a deep and rich flavor to them. I love it and you will too!
Huckleberries are a fantastic wild berry that contain 5x the amount of antioxidants as blueberries. They don’t quite have the same sweetness as a blueberry but are delicious in the own right.
When you eat rich food like this recipe, it is always good to cut through or balance it out with some tartness; whether from acidic things like pickle or tartness from this huckleberries. The combination turned out amazing and it was a big hit with everyone. Here is the duck confit recipe with huckleberry and scalloped potato.
Duck Confit with Huckleberry and Scalloped Potato
Duck Confit
- 4 each duck legs
- 3 cups duck fat
- 1/2 onion
- 1 carrot (cut in half)
- 1 sprig rosemary (and thyme )
- 3 cloves garlic
Horseradish Scalloped Potato (Terrine)
- 4 lbs russet potatoes (sliced 1/16 inch thick)
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/4 cup horseradish
- 2 tbsp thyme (fresh chopped)
- 2 tsp salt (and pepper to taste)
Huckleberry Sauce
- 2 cups chicken stock (reduced)
- 2 cups huckleberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 salt (and pepper)
Garnish
- 1/4 cup nasturtiums
How to make duck confit (see video below)
This has to be done at least a day in advance, preferable 2 days. The first day take the duck legs and season them aggressively with salt and pepper. Place them in a plastic bag and let them cure overnight.
The next day place the duck legs in a small pot and add, onions, carrot, garlic, herbs and duck fat. Bring the duck fat to a boil and turn down to a very low simmer and place the lid on top.
You can either cook the duck legs the rest of the way on top of the stove or you can place in a 250 degree oven for about 3 hours. Cook very slow until the meat is about to fall off the bone.
Let it cool to room temperature and then take the duck legs out of duck fat if using right away. Otherwise keep the duck legs in the fat until ready to use. If the duck fat is completely covering the duck legs it will last up to 3 months.
My duck legs were already prepared from another time so I took my duck legs out that were cold out of the duck fat. Try to get as much fat off the legs. Preheat Oven to 415 degrees.
In a cast iron skillet on medium high heat add the four duck legs skin side down to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes and then place in the oven. Cook the duck legs for about 20 minutes until the meat is hot all the way through and the skin is extra crispy.
How to make horseradish scalloped potatoes (ballotine)
Preheat Oven to 400 degrees
Heat cream up in a small pot with vegetable stock and horseradish. Cook for 5 minutes with a tsp of salt. Then pour into a blender and puree for 1 minute. Pour the horseradish cream into a large bowl.
Then shave potatoes on a mandolin into the bowl of cream. Line a terrine dish with plastic wrap or spray with non-stick spray. Lay potatoes in the terrine mold add a little salt and chopped thyme to each layer.
Continue the process until all the potatoes are in the mold (make sure that you push down the potatoes to try and make it tight. I like to pour a little extra cream over the top at the end.
Then place a cover on the terrine and bake for an hour or until a cake tester comes out clean (you can take the lid off after about 40 minutes if you want a little color on the top of the potatoes..
Allow to cool completely (works better if this is done a day ahead of time). Then take out the terrine and slice into individual pieces.
How to make huckleberry sauce
Place 1 cup of huckleberries in a pot with 2 cups of reduced chicken stock (take 4 cups of homemade chicken stock and reduce to 2 cups then continue with the recipe). Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Then pour in a blender and puree. Season with salt (strain if desired) and pour back into your pot.
Add the remaining cup of huckleberries to the sauce. Re-season if need be. low heat until you are ready to serve
To finish
My duck legs were already prepared from another time so I took my duck legs out that were cold out of the duck fat. Try to get as much fat off the legs. Preheat Oven to 415 degrees.
In a large non stick or cast iron skillet on medium high heat add the four duck legs skin side down to the pan. Cook for 4 minutes and then place the potatoes in the pan as well (cold), then place the pan in the oven.
Cook the duck legs for about 15- 20 minutes until the meat and potatoes are hot all the way through. Meanwhile in a small saute pan add garlic oil, butter, and chanterelle mushrooms.
Add a pinch of salt and cook for 8 minutes. Then season with more salt and pepper. Take duck out of the oven. Your potatoes and duck should both be nice and crispy. Place a slice of the potato terrine on the plate. Turn the duck over and place on the plate next to it.
Add a few granules of sea salt on top. Add a few chanterelle mushrooms to the plate and fish with a good helping of huckleberry sauce. Garnish with nasturtiums leaves. Serve and enjoy!
Back to blog
