Quick Pear Confit Recipes

DUCK CONFIT

Steps:

• Season the duck legs with kosher salt on both sides. Place them in a large resealable bag. Add the lemon zest and slices, garlic, allspice berries, juniper berries and fresh thyme. Seal, and massage the duck legs through the bag until all of the ingredients are evenly dispersed. Refrigerate for 24 hours to marinate.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (93 degrees C).
• Remove the duck legs from the marinade. Rinse them off and pat dry. Place the rest of the contents of the bag into the bottom of an oven safe dish just large enough to hold the legs in a single layer, preferably enameled cast iron or glass. Arrange the duck legs skin side down in the dish. Pour the duck fat into a small saucepan and warm over low heat until liquid. Pour over the duck legs until they are completely covered. If the legs are not covered, you can top it off with some olive oil. As the legs cook, more fat will be rendered from the skin. Cover the dish with a lid.
• Bake for 6 to 7 hours in the preheated oven, until the meat pulls easily from the bone. Remove the duck legs from the fat and place in a sealable container. You may leave the bones in or remove them. Make sure there is room at the top of the container. Strain all of the solids from the remaining fat and discard the solids. Pour the fat over the duck in the container, covering completely. Seal and allow to come to room temperature. Once the jar is cool, place in the refrigerator and let the duck meat cure for 2 months. Reserve any leftover duck fat for other uses.

PEAR AND DUCK CONFIT SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F.
• Whisk together mustard, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Add 4 tablespoons oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified, then whisk in shallot.
• Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook pecans, stirring, until golden brown. Transfer nuts with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then season with salt.
• Heat skillet with any oil remaining in it over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown duck on all sides until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and tear meat into bite-size pieces and discard bones. Keep duck warm, covered, on a baking sheet in oven.
• Halve and core pears and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Add pears, greens, duck, cheese, and nuts to dressing with salt and pepper to taste, then toss gently to combine.

PEAR CHUTNEY

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, combine red pepper, onion, jalepeno, vinegar, honey, and allspice. Heat to boiling over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
• Add pears and raisins and return to boiling. Cook chutney, stirring occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes longer or until pears just start to soften.
• Meanwhile, in large kettle, cover 2 pint or 4 half-pint canning jars with water and heat to boiling over high heat; boil 10 minutes to sterilize. Drain jars on clean towel. In small saucepan, cover the jar lids and bands with water and heat to simmering. Remove from heat and leave lids and bands in water until ready to use
• Spoon chutney into drained, hot jars Fill to within 1/2-inch of top of jars. Wipe rims of jars with damp cloth and seal with lids and bands. Process in boiling water bath 10 minutes. Cool jars; label and store in cool, dark, dry place.

GRUYERE WITH PEAR CONFIT

Steps:

• Peel the pears and cut them in half. Scoop out the seeds with a melon baller or cut them out with a knife. Slice thin and set aside. In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sugar and cook, stirring, until slightly browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and ginger and stir. Add the pears and reduce the heat to low. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pear slices are tender and almost translucent and the mixture is thickened, about 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. To serve, shave the cheese with a vegetable peeler or a cheese slicer into thin shards. Toast the bread. Spoon a mound of confit in the center of each serving plate. Fan 4 pieces of toast around the top of the plate, and pile the cheese shards around the bottom.

BLUEBERRY CHUTNEY RECIPE

Steps:

• Enjoy!

QUICK PEAR CONFIT

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat so that the pear mixture is just simmering. Simmer until the mixture is thick and of jam-like consistency, stirring every few minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Yield: about 3/4 cup.