Allow to cool and then store as is in the refrigerator, sealed under the fat. When you need the confit, you can either warm the whole dish, in which case removing the legs will be easy, or dig them out of the cold fat and scrape off the excess. I highly recommend the former. A nice touch at this point is to twist out the thighbone from the cold confit. Just place one hand on the drumstick, pinioning the leg to the table, and with the other hand, twist out the thighbone, plucking it from the flesh without mangling the thigh meat. Think of someone you hate when you do it.

Ingredients for Cassoulet

5 cups/1100 g Tarbais beans (see Suppliers) or white beans

2 pounds/900 g fresh pork belly

1 onion, cut into 4 pieces

1 pound/450 g pork rind

1 bouquet garni (see Glossary)

salt and pepper

1/4 cup/56 g duck fat

6 pork sausages

3 onions, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

4 confit duck legs



Equipment

large bowl large pot

strainer or colander

saute pan

paper towels

blender

large, ovenproof earthenware dish

measuring cup

kitchen spoon