Crispy Duck Leg Confit, Red Wine Braised Cabbage & Apple Relish

Part of our Holiday Pairing Feast

Pair with our Geyserville

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Yield: Serves 4-6

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Duck Confit

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon fresh cracked pepper
2 bay leaves crumbled
8 duck legs about 4lbs, rinsed and patted dry

Method:

In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf pieces. Sprinkle duck generously with mixture. Place duck legs in a pan in one layer. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
The next day, heat oven to 325 degrees. Place duck legs, fat side down, in a large ovenproof skillet, with legs fitting snugly in a single layer (you may have to use two skillets or cook them in batches). Heat duck legs over medium-high heat until fat starts to render. When there is about 1/4 inch of rendered fat in pan, about 20 minutes, flip duck legs, cover pan with foil, and place it in oven. If you have used two pans, transfer duck and fat to a roasting pan, cover with foil and place in oven.
Roast legs for 2 hours, then remove foil and continue roasting until duck is golden brown, about 1 hour more. Remove duck from fat; reserve fat for other uses.

Red Wine Braised Cabbage

Ingredients:

1 head red cabbage
6 pieces of smoked bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tbls light brown sugar
2 tbls grain mustard
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup red wine
1 cup chicken broth

Method:

Cut cabbage in half lengthwise. Use a sharp knife to cut a V-shaped notch around the white core and discard it. Slice both pieces in half again so you have 4 quarters, then thinly slice each piece crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Set aside.
Place bacon in a large Dutch oven or other large, heavy-bottomed pot with a tightfitting lid over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and most of the fat has rendered.
Add onion and stir to coat in the bacon fat. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook until the onion softens and the edges begin to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the reserved cabbage, stir to coat in bacon fat, and cook until the cabbage begins to wilt, about 4 minutes. Stir in the red wine, brown sugar and mustard.
Deglaze the pan with the cider vinegar, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a spatula. Add the chicken broth and season with a few pinches of salt and more freshly ground pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low and cover the pan tightly. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is soft and soupy and the bacon is tender, about 45 minutes. If the cabbage begins to look dry, add more broth or water.

Apple Relish

Ingredients:

1 large red cooking apple
1 large Green apple
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup dark seedless raisins or golden raisins
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:

Quarter apples, remove and discard cores. Chop apples, leaving the skins on.
In a 2qt saucepan, combine apples, onion, raisins, ginger, sugar, vinegar, and salt. Heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, until onions are just tender, 4 to 8 minutes. Keep warm or chill.

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