Cafe Du Parc Duck Rillettes Recipes

CAFE DU PARC DUCK RILLETTES

Steps:

• Bone the duck, and cut it into 1/2-inch cubes, including skin and fat. Cut the pork butt into 1/2-inch cubes.
• Combine the wine and salt in a heavy saucepan. Add the duck and pork pieces, bring to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes, skimming frequently. When scum no longer gathers on the surface of the cooking liquid, add the remaining ingredients, cover, and allow to simmer very slowly for about 2 hours, until the meats are very soft and tender.
• Uncover the pan, and continue to simmer another 30 to 40 minutes until the wine has evaporated and only meat and fat remain in the pan. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. The fat should be clear and the meat lightly golden and very tender. Test the meat by removing a piece, allowing it to cool slightly and squeezing it between your fingers. It should literally fall apart.
• Allow the mixture to cool until tepid. Discard the bay leaves.
• Using a wooden spoon or fork, mash and stir the meats until they are uniformly shredded. Taste the mixture, and correct the seasoning.
• Reheat the mixture to a boil, stirring. Set aside to cool, stirring from time to time to incorporate the fat and meat. Before the mixture has completely cooled, transfer it to one or more earthenware crocks. Refrigerate two to three days before serving.
• The rillettes will keep four or five days. To keep the dish longer, up to about three weeks, melt a layer of pure pork fat (fatback) or lard to cover and seal the surface of the rillettes completely. Keep refrigerated.

DUCK RILLETTES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Line a 9x13 baking dish with 2 pieces of aluminum foil.
• Stir kosher salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, and dried thyme together in a bowl. Mix garlic, ginger, orange zest strips, fresh thyme, and bay leaves together in another bowl.
• Season duck all over, inside and out, with about 2/3 of the kosher salt mixture. Fill duck cavity with garlic mixture.
• Place duck, breast-side up, into prepared baking dish and season with remaining salt mixture. Wrap duck tightly in aluminum foil.
• Roast in the preheated oven until meat pulls away from the bones, 5 to 6 hours. Cool duck with its accumulated juices, wrapped in aluminum foil, to room temperature. Chill in the refrigerator for 12 hours or overnight.
• Pick meat from bones and place in a bowl.
• Spoon all accumulated juices in the foil into a saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Cook until hot throughout; strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Let fat and stock separate; transfer fat from the top to another bowl.
• Mash duck meat, 3 tablespoons duck fat, 2 tablespoons duck stock, butter, brandy, parsley, chives, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, salt, and ground black pepper together in a bowl with a wooden spoon; transfer to a sealable container, press down, and drizzle a little duck fat over the top. Sprinkle thyme leaves, black pepper, and orange zest over the top. Seal the container and refrigerate for the flavors to blend, 1 to 3 days.

RILLETTES OF DUCK

Steps:

• Lay duck breast side down. With sharp knife carefully remove skin. Cut off 5 ounces (approximately 1/2 cup) duck fat, chop into fine dice; reserve. Discard skin. Remove meat from carcass, cut meat from the breast and from the thigh in strips. Do not use meat from lower leg.
• Finely mince barding fat in food processor.
• Clean vegetables. Cut onion in half horizontally and carrot in half lengthwise.
• Place barding fat and duck fat in casserole. Add water to barely cover. Set over medium heat; cover and simmer 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until water has evaporated. Fat should be almost completely melted.
• Add pork fillet, duck, garlic, onion, carrot, bouquet garni, salt and pepper and pepper corns Add 1 cup of wine; bring to boil. Cover and place over low heat so mixture is barely simmering. Cook 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; remove vegetables and aromatics. Add remaining wine; cover with damp cloth and let cool. Be sure cloth does not touch mixture.
• When lukewarm mix thoroughly with fingers. Taste, and correct seasoning.
• Fill a two-quart terrine and cover with foil. Refrigerate for at least two days before eating. Serve with country bread.

DUCK-CONFIT RILLETTES

Steps:

• Shred the duck meat, discarding the skin and bones. Place the shredded meat in a food processor and add 1 tablespoon of duck fat. Pulse the machine and add enough of the remaining fat so the rillettes hold together. Season the rillettes with plenty of pepper and serve with toasted country bread. Alternatively, spoon the rillettes into ramekins, top with a layer of duck fat, and store in the refrigerator. They will keep for several weeks.