French food Friday - Verrines Filled With Duck Confit, Ceps & Crushed Peas

When I saw this recipe, I thought this is perfect for me  to cook for  French Boyfriend as it is a bit different to plain duck confit which we eat quite a lot of.

 Verrines Filled With Duck Confit, Ceps & Crushed Peas

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Glass verrines are very fashionable in France, but you can also use individual soufflé dishes or cocottes. The duck and peas can be prepared ahead, making this a wonderfully easy dinner-party dish. Tinned confit duck legs (cuisses de canard) can be bought online (for example, from www.confitdirect.co.uk or www.gasconline.com), and from some delicatessens and specialist butchers.
 
FOR THE DUCK: 

• 25g dried ceps
• 2 tablespoons duck fat (spooned from the tin of confit)
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 1 teaspoon tomato purée
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 3 legs of confit of duck
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE PEAS:

• 25g butter
• 4 spring onions, whiteparts only, finely chopped
• 400g frozen petits pois
• 4 tablespoons crème fraiche
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 6 sprigs chervil to garnish, optional

Method

1. For the duck, heat the oven to 190°C/mark 5. Soak the ceps in 400ml boiling water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile heat the duck fat in a saucepan and cook the onion, celery and garlic over a gentle heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and slightly golden. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. 
2. Lift the ceps out of the soaking liquor and roughly chop. Gradually pour the liquor over the cooked vegetables, leaving any gritty residue behind, and stir over a low heat for 3-4 minutes until thickened. Stir in the tomato purée, rosemary and chopped ceps. Take off the heat while you prepare the duck. 
3. Remove all the solidified fat from around the legs and wipe with kitchen paper. (You can keep the duck fat for roasting potatoes; it will keep for a few weeks in the fridge.) Remove the skin from the duck and set aside for later. Pick off the meat from around the bones and roughly chop it. 
4. Stir the duck meat into the sauce and cook gently for 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Set aside. 
5. Lay the duck skin on a non-stick baking tray and cook in the oven for 15 minutes or until crisp and golden. Pour off the rendered fat, cool a little, then break the crispy skin into little pieces. Set aside.
6. For the peas, melt the butter in a saucepan and cook the spring onions on a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the peas, crème fraiche, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring once or twice. Roughly mash with a potato masher. Taste and season again if necessary. 
7. To serve, heat the verrines through in hot water and briefly reheat the duck and peas. Dry the verrines, then place a generous spoonful of the duck mixture in each and top with a spoonful of peas. Garnish with the chopped parsley, crispy duck skin and, if using, chervil. 

 bon appetit à tous, Leeann

photo and recipe from here

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