Crispy duck leg confit from Gascony meets elegant rosé Champagne from Champagne – an unexpected yet enchanting pairing. [read the full champagne story]
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Confit de canard is one of the most beloved rustic dishes in France. Originally a way of preserving meat before the advent of refrigeration, the technique has evolved into a culinary legacy. In our version, it is served with crispy smashed potatoes, fresh mâche salad and a squeeze of lemon. In the glass, we have a 2015 Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé.
The rich, savory Confit de Canard, with its tender meat and caramelized skin, is elevated by the vibrant finesse of Louis Roederer Rosé. With its fine bubbles, delicate red berry notes, and refreshing acidity, the Champagne cuts through the dish’s intensity with precision, creating a perfect harmony between rustic depth and refined elegance.
Ingredients
- Serves four
- Confit de Canard
- 4 duck legs with skin
- 1 liter duck or goose fat (or enough to cover the thighs)
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 black peppercorns
- Coarse sea salt (about 2 tablespoons)
Smashed Potatoes
- 800 g small deli potatoes (e.g. amandine or almond potatoes)
- Olive oil
- Flake salt
- Black pepper
- A little chopped rosemary or thyme, if desired
Mâche lettuce & side dishes
75 g mâche lettuce
1 organic lemon (halved)
Extra virgin olive oil
Flake salt
Methode
Confit de Canard part 1
- Prepare the duck legs (preferably the day before)
- Rub the legs well with sea salt and place them in a dish together with garlic, thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, preferably overnight. Rinse off excess salt and spices, dry the legs.
- Melt the duck fat slowly in a saucepan. Add the salted, dried duck legs so that they are completely covered by the fat. Simmer over low heat (do not boil) for 2–2.5 hours until the meat is tender and easily separates from the bone. Let the legs cool in the fat. (Can be made in advance – they will keep in the fridge for several days in their fat.)
Smashed Potatoes
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft, about 15–20 minutes. Drain and let them steam.
- Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and press them down lightly with the bottom of a glass or a spatula.
- Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Top with fresh herbs if desired.
- Roast in a 225°C oven for about 20–25 minutes until golden and crispy.
Confit de Canard part 2
- Remove the duck legs from the fat and let them drain.
- Fry them skin side down in a dry pan over medium heat until the skin is golden and crispy. Alternatively: bake in the oven at 225°C (grill function) for about 10–15 minutes.
Lettuce & lemon
- Rinse the mâche lettuce and let it drain.
- Dress lightly with olive oil and a pinch of flaked salt just before serving.
- Serve with lemon halves that can be squeezed over the meat and potatoes at the table.
- Place a crispy duck leg on each plate along with a handful of mâche lettuce and some smashed potatoes.
- Squeeze lemon over the duck and potatoes at the table.
In the glass? 2015 Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé
98(98)p
55pn 45ch
The wine of the year!
How one can create such beautiful art from the slightly vulgar and slightly plump 2015 vintage is beyond my comprehension. After a cannonade of heavenly wines in “The Crying Seat” on Boulevard Lundy, the youngest wine and also the first rosé variant of Cristal appeared. Right then and there we were swept along in a swirling sensual taste and scent journey with all the red, orange and purple flowers of the garden as the leaders. In addition to flowers, the colorful carpet consists of silky sensualism and textural perfection. Even the fruit is painted in the same color scale. The length is phenomenal and I really wonder if we can feel even better if we age this Michelle Pfeiffer of the wine world? Drink devoutly in 2025 and I think you will smile throughout 2026.
