Duck Confit
2 Duck Legs
1 C Kosher Salt
8-10 sprigs of fresh Thyme
1 T fresh minced garlic
Duck fat as needed
De-stem the thyme leaves from half of the sprigs on hand and place in a mixing bowl. Add the kosher salt & garlic then mix the three ingredients well. Place the duck legs in the mixing bowl making sure that both legs are well coated with the salt mixture. Cover them with a paper towel or plastic wrap, then place another bowl on top of them and something heavy inside the top bowl to add weight. Place this in a refrigerator for an hour or so. You can let the legs cure for up to 24 hours but I recommend no more than 1 to 3 hours.
Once the legs have cured, pull them out of the refrigerator and run them under cold running water. Make sure that you remove as much of the salt as possible so that it will not be too salty when you have the finished product. Next, place them in a narrow but deep baking dish. Add enough duck fat to submerge the entire duck legs. Add the remaining thyme sprigs to the dish and cover. Place the pan into a 250 degree oven. Allow it to cook for 2 ½ to 3 hours, uncovering it halfway through the cooking process. When they are done, remove from the oven and allow to cool down to room temperature. After they have cooled to room temp, place them into the refrigerator, reserving the duck fat for later use. In a non stick sauce pan, place a small amount of the duck fat from the baking dish and put over a low to medium heat. Make sure to heat the duck throughout and ensure that the skin side is crispy & golden. Remove from the pan and put them onto a paper towel to drain. Now prepare the salad.
For Salad:
1 (11oz) container of baby kale
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
1 ½ T creole mustard
1 C olive oil
1/3 C white balsamic vinegar
Asiago cheese, as needed
Kosher Salt & Course Ground Black
Pepper to taste
In a large mixing bowl, place the baby kale and set aside. In a small mixing bowl, add the creole mustard, olive oil & balsamic vinegar then mix well. Add the vinaigrette as needed to the baby kale, and the kosher salt & pepper to taste. Place a portion of the salad on a serving plate for the bed of the dish. Add sliced red onion & freshly shred the asiago cheese over the salad as needed. Next place one of the duck legs over the salad, then dress the plate with just a little bit more of the vinaigrette, drizzling it over the duck as well. Serve & enjoy!