Duck Week: Duck Confit with Spicy Pickled Raisins

Item one of duck week: duck confit. I know that duck confit has been blown up in our cultural psyche to rather ridiculous proportions--the oh-so-French decadence of eating something that has been packed in fat, but sometimes I feel like you have to just gird your loins and go for it.

And boy, was I glad I did. 

I decided to serve this the first night that Peter was here for his Thanksgiving visit, and wound up rushing to the store to buy an extra last-minute duck leg as Piper was also going to be joining us. I was interested to see whether or not the labor of cooking the duck leg, packing it in fat, etc, actually made any difference in flavor whatsoever. Well, let me tell you, it certainly did. The duck confit was soft and intensely flavorful, rich but not remotely greasy. And can I tell you how much I love the spicy pickled raisins that Bon Appetit suggested? I had to stop myself from just eating them with a spoon. Sweet and tangy and with just the right amount of kick. A perfect side for an incredible meal.

Bon Appetit's original recipe stated that the duck was supposed to cook and be packed in its own fat, but I wound up having to go out and buy more anyway. I would say that you should definitely have some on hand in case your legs don't render enough fat, and the rest can be used to add a bit of flair for potatoes or other root vegetables.

Duck Confit with Spicy Pickled Raisins (adapted from Bon Appetit)

4  skin-on, bone-in duck legs 
2  garlic cloves, thinly sliced 
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more freshly cracked 
1 tablespoons plus 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 
5  sprigs thyme, divided 
3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, divided 
½ cup white wine vinegar 
¼ cup sugar 
2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds 
1 sprig rosemary 
1½ cups golden raisins
Extra duck fat (~1-2 cups

Using the tip of a knife or the sharp tines of a carving fork, prick duck leg skin all over. Rub with garlic (slices should stick to skin) and season with 1 tsp. ground pepper and 2 Tbsp. salt.

Preheat oven to 250°. Arrange duck, skin side down, in a roasting pan or large Dutch oven and add 8 thyme sprigs, 4 chiles (or 1 tsp. red pepper flakes), and ½ cup water. Cover pan with foil or lid and cook until fat is rendered, about 2 hours. Turn duck skin side up and nestle it into rendered fat. Cover pan and continue to cook until meat is very tender and bones easily wiggle when pulled, 2–2½ hours longer. Duck can be cooked 1 week ahead. Pack duck in fat (from the pan and using the extra you bought, if needed) in an airtight container and chill.

Meanwhile, bring vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, rosemary sprig, remaining thyme sprig, 2 chiles (or ½ tsp. red pepper flakes), 1 tsp. salt, and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Mix in raisins, remove from heat, and let cool at least 1 hour.

On cooking day, increase oven temperature to 400°. Remove duck from fat and place, skin side up, on a rimmed baking sheet; reserve fat for another use (it will keep 3 weeks in refrigerator or 3 months in freezer; reheat and strain before using). Season duck with cracked pepper and roast until skin is brown and crisp, 30–35 minutes. Serve duck with pickled raisins. 

 Raisins can be pickled 1 week ahead. Cover and chill; bring to room temperature before serving. Enjoy!