Smoked Réveillon Duck Breast and Confit Leg

Celticevergreen's Note:

This recipe is supposedly from the Restaurant Cuvée in New Orleans, LA.

• Total Time: 4 hrs 50 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 8 duck legs
• 8 duck breasts, deboned

Wet cure (for 8 breasts)

• 1 cup cane syrup
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring

Dry cure for confit (8 leg quarters)

• 2 cups olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 springs fresh thyme
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt

For the risotto

• 2 teaspoons garlic
• 2 tablespoons shallots, minced
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 4 cups chicken stock or 4 cups duck stock, warmed
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons Roquefort cheese
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup roasted pecan pieces
• 4 tablespoons scallions, chopped
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• creole seasoning, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the reduction

• 2 cups cane syrup
• 2 cups beef gravy (Heinz Homestyle Beef Gravy)
• salt and pepper, to taste

For the foie gras

• 8 slices foie gras, 1 oz each
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine syrup, water, brown sugar, salt, seasoning and smoke flavoring. Add breasts, marinate for length of time duck legs are cooking.
2. Place duck legs in cake pan. Add the rest of the dry cure (oil should cover about 1/2 up leg). Cover and cook at 250F for 3-4 hours. Allow to rest for time breasts are cooking. Change oven temp to 400°F.
3. Season foie gras; sear on both sides in a hot skillet until golden brown. Remove from pan; reserve on paper towels.
4. In same hot skillet, sear breasts duck fat side down; finish in 400F oven for 10-12 minutes (medium done).
5. To prepare risotto, sauté garlic and shallots in olive oil. Remove garlic and shallots and reserve. Add rice and sauté until translucent (7-10 minutes), stirring constantly. Add bay leaf, thyme, garlic and shallots. In three stages, add warmed stock, stirring each time until liquid is almost absorbed then adding the next stage. First stage is 1 cup, second stage is 2 cups, and last stage is 1 cup. After stock has been totally added, fold in cheese and pecans. Let it sit, covered, for two to three minutes, and it will be ready to serve.
6. For reduction, simmer ingredients in pot until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally. Season as needed.
7. To plate, mound 1 cup of risotto in center of plate. Lay confit leg against the rice with drum leg up. Slice duck breast thin; fan around leg. Drizzle with reduction; top with foie gras.