Confit Duck Leg, Endive & Orange Recipe

Season and cure

Pat duck legs dry with paper towel. Rub each leg evenly with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Place legs in a single layer in a shallow dish or tray. Tuck smashed garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves among the legs. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to overnight to cure.

Prepare for slow-cooking

Preheat oven to 225°F (105°C). Rinse the salt from the duck legs under cold water and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Place legs snugly in an ovenproof dish or deep baking pan in a single layer, skin side up. Pour duck fat over the legs until they are fully submerged (about 2–3 cups, reserve any extra).

Confit (slow-cook)

Cover the dish tightly with foil, then place in the preheated oven. Cook gently for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the meat is very tender and pulls away from the bone with little resistance. The skin should be soft but the meat fully cooked through.

Cool and store

Remove the dish from the oven. Let the legs cool in the fat to room temperature (about 30–45 minutes). Transfer the legs to a container, strain and reserve the fat, and refrigerate submerged in the fat if not using immediately. If keeping for later, refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.

Prepare oranges and endive

Peel and supreme the navel oranges: cut off top and bottom, slice away peel and pith, then cut segments between membranes over a bowl to catch juices. Slice the endive heads in half lengthwise and, if desired, cut each half into 2–3 lengthwise pieces for easier plating. Thinly slice the red shallot and place in a small bowl with a pinch of sea salt to mellow for 5 minutes.

Make dressing

In a small bowl, whisk the reserved orange juices (from supreming) with champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, and sea salt until combined. Slowly whisk in extra-virgin olive oil to emulsify. Taste and adjust seasoning with black pepper or an additional pinch of honey if needed.

Assemble salad

Toss the endive and baby greens (if using) with the shallot and most of the dressing—reserve about 1 tablespoon of dressing for finishing. Gently fold in the orange segments. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill briefly if desired, or hold at room temperature while finishing duck.

Crisp duck skin

When ready to serve, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) or heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Remove duck legs from the fat and wipe off excess fat with paper towel (reserve fat for another use). To crisp: place legs skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet and roast 10–15 minutes until skin is golden and crispy and interior is heated through OR heat 1–2 tbs of reserved fat in a skillet until shimmering and pan-sear skin-side down for 4–6 minutes until crisp, then finish in a 400°F oven 5–8 minutes if needed.

Make glaze (optional)

While duck crisps, warm the reserved 1/4 cup pan drippings (or duck fat) in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in orange zest and 1 teaspoon honey or a splash of reserved orange juice to create a glossy finishing glaze. Heat gently to combine; do not boil.

Plate: Arrange a bed of endive and orange salad on each plate. Place one confit duck leg per plate on top or alongside the salad. Spoon a little warm orange-pan glaze over the duck and scatter chopped toasted nuts and parsley over the salad and duck. Finish with a crack of black pepper and a small pinch of flaked sea salt if desired.

Serve immediately while duck skin is crisp and salad is fresh.