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The main dish, Regional

Duck confit with garlic potatoes

Duck confit with garlic potatoes is a French country dish for 6 people, easy to make and priced at €4.60 per person. It needs 30 minutes of active work, split between the morning and just before guests arrive. The trick is cooking the skin dry, with no added fat, so it turns crisp and golden on its own.

A beautiful duck confit with crackling skin and garlic potatoes, simple, generous and impossible to resist.

Duck confit with garlic potatoes
For
6 people
Work
30 min
Total time
1 h 20
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€4.60
Calories per person
820 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Duck confit has a texture everyone loves, meat that falls apart on its own under skin that turns deep gold and crackles. Potatoes sauteed in duck fat and finished with fresh garlic parsley bring the crunch and the sharp garlic note that balance the rich, melting meat perfectly.

This is a dish built for a winter family dinner or a relaxed get together with friends, when you want to feed people generously without spending the whole evening at the stove. A simple green salad or vegetable soup works well to start, and a winter fruit dessert closes the meal nicely.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 2 steps, 20 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 3 steps, 45 min
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step

In the morning, cook and slice the potatoes, then make the garlic parsley and keep it chilled. Just before your guests arrive, crisp the duck legs in the oven while you pan fry the potatoes. At serving time, sprinkle the potatoes with garlic parsley and bring everything to the table hot.

The ingredients

6 people

Butcher

  • Duck confit legs 6

Fruits and vegetables

  • Waxy potatoes 1.5 kg
  • Garlic 8 cloves
  • Parsley 1 bunch

Pantry

  • Duck fatoften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Boil the potatoes in their skins in salted water, then let them cool and cut them into thick rounds. 20 min

    Insert the tip of a knife, it should go in but still meet a little resistance.

  2. Chop the garlic and parsley together for the garlic parsley topping and keep it chilled in a bowl.

    Remove the green sprout from the garlic, it's what gives a bitter taste.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Take the duck legs out of their fat, pat them dry, and place them on a baking sheet, skin side up.

    Save the fat in a jar, it keeps for months and flavors everything.

  2. Roast the legs at 220 degrees until the skin is golden and crisp. 30 min

    Start checking at twenty minutes, the skin goes from golden to burnt quickly.

  3. Pan fry the potato rounds in duck fat in a large skillet, turning them as little as possible. 15 min

    Leave them undone for three minutes, the crust forms when you leave them alone.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Sprinkle the potatoes with garlic parsley and serve them with the hot duck legs.

    Add the garlic only at the very end, it burns in a minute.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick waxy potatoes, they hold their shape and won't fall apart into mush when you slice and pan fry them.
  • Pat the duck legs dry before they go in the oven, any leftover fat on the surface keeps the skin from crisping properly.
  • Make the garlic parsley well ahead and keep it chilled, it holds its flavor without turning dark.

The variations

  • Swap in confit chicken legs if you can't find duck, the result stays rich even though the flavor is milder.
  • For a vegetarian version, saute the potatoes in olive oil and serve them with roasted mushrooms instead of the duck.
  • For kids, serve the potatoes without the raw garlic parsley and offer shredded duck meat instead of a whole leg.

What to serve it with

  • A sharply dressed green salad to start
  • Winter vegetable soup before the main
  • Apple or pear compote for dessert

Storage

Leftovers keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. Duck confit freezes well, but the sauteed potatoes lose texture once frozen. Reheat the duck in the oven to keep the skin crisp, and the potatoes in a pan.

Questions about this recipe

Can I use homemade confit duck legs instead of store bought?

Yes, if you've already confited your own duck legs, use them straight in place of store bought ones. Just make sure they're well covered in fat before you take them out to cook.

Should I peel the potatoes before or after cooking?

Cook the potatoes in their skins, then peel them once cooled if you prefer them skinless. The skin protects them during cooking and makes peeling easier afterward.

How do I know when the duck skin is crispy enough?

The skin should be deeply golden, almost amber, and crackle clearly under a fork. If it still looks pale after thirty minutes, give it a few more minutes while watching closely.

Can I replace the duck fat with another fat?

Olive oil or butter will work for sauteing the potatoes, but duck fat brings a flavor nothing else really replaces. If you have duck fat saved from another recipe, this is the time to use it.

Can a duck confit with garlic potatoes be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 30 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 2 steps, before the guests arrive, 3 steps, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make a duck confit with garlic potatoes?

Allow 1 h 20 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 30 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "easy".

How many calories are in a duck confit with garlic potatoes?

About 820 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a duck confit with garlic potatoes cost?

About €4.60 per person, that's €27.60 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe doesn't contain any of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. It's still a good idea to ask your guests about their allergies.

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