Duck Ingredients
Duck fat: 7 oz (about ¾ cup melted)
Kosher salt: 1 Tbsp + ¾ tsp
Fresh thyme: 1½ Tbsp (leaves or lightly crushed sprigs)
Bay leaf: 1 small leaf
Orange: Zest of ½ orange
Black pepper: 1½ tsp, freshly ground
Ground coriander: ¾ tsp
Duck leg & thigh quarters: 2–3 pieces (about 2½–3 lb total)
Cure the Duck
1. In a bowl, combine your dry ingredients (salt, herbs, spices — no fat).2. Place the duck legs in a container just large enough to hold them.
3. Rub the dry mixture all over the duck legs so they are well coated.
4. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
After 24 hours:
5. Rinse the duck under cold water to remove the cure.
6. Pat completely dry with paper towels.
Cook the Duck
1. Preheat oven to 275°F.
2. Place duck legs in a baking dish.
3. Cover completely with melted duck fat.
4. Cover dish tightly with foil.
5. Bake for 3 hours.
6. Remove from oven and let rest 15–20 minutes.
7. Carefully remove duck from fat and let it drain on a rack or paper towels.
(The duck can be stored in the fat in the refrigerator if not using right away.)
Reheat & Crisp
1. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat.
2. Add a small spoonful of duck fat.
3. Place duck skin-side down and cook 2–3 minutes until crispy.
4. Flip and cook 1–2 more minutes.
5. Spoon some hot fat over the skin to baste.
6. Let rest briefly and serve.
Tomato Sauce Ingredients
1 can whole plum tomatoes
½ cup smashed garlic
1 small shallot, chopped
½ cup white wine
3 sprigs of rosemary
8 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt to taste
Instructions
1. Separate the tomato juice from the whole tomatoes. Set tomatoes aside.
2. In a saucepan, gently cook garlic and shallot in olive oil over low heat until fragrant (do not brown).
3. Add white wine and simmer 5 minutes.
4. Add the reserved tomato juice, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves.
5. Simmer gently until reduced by about one-third. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
6. Strain out the herbs.
7. Add the reduced liquid back to the whole tomatoes and mash together.
8. Season with salt to taste.
9. Cool and refrigerate if not using immediately.
Final Plating
Serve the crispy duck with tomato sauce and your choice of side. NICO recommends a ratatouille.
Bon appétit!