Duck Confit Risotto Recipe

Curing (if making confit from fresh legs)

If using fresh duck legs, rub them evenly with coarse salt and cracked black pepper. Place garlic cloves and thyme around the legs and refrigerate, uncovered, for 12–24 hours. Rinse off excess salt, pat dry and proceed to next step. (If using store-bought confit, skip to 'Crisping'.)

Slow-cook in fat (confit)

Preheat oven to 225°F (105°C). Submerge prepared duck legs in a deep ovenproof pan or Dutch oven with duck fat. Add smashed garlic and thyme. Cook in the oven gently for 2.5–3 hours, until meat is very tender and easily pulls from the bone. Remove legs from fat and let cool. Reserve fat for later use or discard. (If you have pre-made confit, gently warm before crisping.)

Crisp the skin

To serve, heat a roasting pan or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Pat duck legs dry (remove excess fat), season lightly with flaky salt, and sear skin-side down in a spoonful of reserved duck fat or a bit of oil until skin is deeply golden and crisp, 5–8 minutes. Finish in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 6–8 minutes if needed to render fat through. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

Prepare stock and corn: keep chicken or vegetable stock warm in a saucepan over low heat. If using corn on the cob, cut kernels from 3–4 ears. Reserve the cobs for extra flavor if desired (see step to poach stock).

Toast rice

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or sauté pan, warm olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add minced shallot and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add arborio rice and stir to coat; cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until edges of the rice look translucent.

Deglaze

Pour in the white wine and stir until mostly absorbed.

Add stock gradually

Begin adding warm stock, one ladle (about 1/2 cup) at a time, stirring frequently. Allow most of the liquid to be absorbed before adding the next ladle. After about 10 minutes of stirring and adding stock, stir in the fresh corn kernels. Continue adding stock and stirring until rice is creamy and al dente, about 18–20 minutes total cooking time from first addition of stock.

Finish risotto

When rice is tender but still with slight bite, remove pan from heat. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter, grated Parmesan, lemon zest, chives, salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. If you want a brighter corn flavor, stir in 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved duck fat (optional) or a splash of pan juices from the crisped duck.

Sauté shallot and cherries: In a small saucepan, warm 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the pitted cherries and cook until they begin to break down, 4–6 minutes.

Deglaze and reduce: Add the red wine and bring to a simmer, scraping any browned bits. Reduce the wine by about half, then add the duck or chicken stock, red wine vinegar and brown sugar or honey. Simmer gently until the sauce is slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 10–12 minutes.

Blend and strain: For a smooth jus, purée the sauce with an immersion blender or in a regular blender until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing solids to extract flavor. Return the strained jus to the pan and simmer briefly to adjust consistency.

Finish with butter and season: Off the heat, whisk in cold butter to gloss the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm until plating.

Assemble: Spoon a generous portion (about 3/4 to 1 cup) of warm corn risotto into the center of each plate, spreading slightly to form a shallow mound.

Place duck: Position a crispy duck leg on top or slightly to the side of the risotto so the skin remains visible and crisp.

Sauce and garnish: Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of the warm cherry duck jus around or over the duck (avoid soaking the crispy skin). Scatter microgreens or baby arugula lightly over the dish, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and finish with flaky sea salt and a few more snips of chives if desired.

Serve: Serve immediately while duck skin is crisp and risotto is creamy. Estimated portion: one duck leg with about 3/4–1 cup risotto per person.