Duck Confit with Potatoes

Pat 4 duck legs dry with paper towels. Mix 30 g salt with 1 tsp black pepper, 4 minced garlic cloves, 3 sprigs of thyme, and 1 bay leaf. Rub the legs with this mixture, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours.

The next day, scrape off the excess salt and spices from the duck and pat the legs thoroughly dry. Do not rinse them with water, so as not to dilute the flavor or introduce extra moisture.

Preheat the oven to 120°C. Place the duck legs skin-side up in a deep baking dish, pour in 300 g duck fat so it almost completely covers them, and cook for 2 hours 30 minutes. The fat should barely simmer, and the meat should come away easily from the bone.

Remove the legs from the fat and transfer to a wire rack. Save the fat for the potatoes. Let the duck rest for 10 minutes to drain off excess fat.

Peel 600 g potatoes, cut into slices about 5 mm thick, and pat dry. Heat 120 g of the reserved duck fat in a wide skillet, arrange the potatoes in a single layer, season with salt to taste, and fry for 15–20 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and tender.

For crispy skin, crisp up the duck legs in the oven at 220°C for 10–12 minutes, or in a dry skillet skin-side down for 5–7 minutes.

Serve the duck confit right away with the potatoes, seasoning the potatoes with salt to taste.