Sunny Cove Chef
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Cakes
    • Cookies
    • Desserts
    • German Food
    • Holiday Cooking
    • Ice Cream
    • Jam
    • Main Dish
    • Miscellaneous
    • Party Favorites
    • Pasta
    • Salad
    • Sauces
    • Seafood
    • Seasonal Cooking
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup
    • Vegan
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian
  • Food Philosophy
    • About
  • Wanderlust
    • Austria
    • Canada
    • France
    • Germany
    • Italy
    • Morocco
    • Sweden
    • Switzerland
    • USA

Duck Confit Pasta with CABBAGE

1/10/2023

20 Comments

 
It’s raining cats and dogs here in northern California. After several years of drought, we really need the rain. But we are not used to staying inside—it’s California after all where the sun always shines. I enjoy the rain, but I don’t like the wind. Being forced to stay inside, I cleaned out some old drawers and sorted through old cards and photos. It was easy to throw away most of them. Just as it was easy to say goodbye to 2022. My guest room is almost ready for my niece and her family from Germany. I can’t wait to see them, especially my 18-month-old little grandniece. She is pure sunshine and has a special place in my heart.
Pasta with duck confit and cabbage
Click on the photo for the recipe for duck confit
It was my turn this month to host our book club meeting, and since it was also my girlfriend’s birthday, she asked me if I would make duck confit. I was happy to oblige, especially as we have known each other for over 30 years. I doubled the recipe, so I and had four duck legs left the next day. I decided to make one of my favorite old standby recipes. It turns the duck legs into a rustic country peasant dish, hardy and--perfect for a rainy day and a country girl like me. The only thing I don’t like about this recipe is the smell of cooking cabbage.
Pasta with duck confit and cabbage
Like so many of my recipes, this is an old one from Gourmet magazine. You do not need to follow the recipe exactly, so you can use less or more cabbage or duck legs. I added some red peppers that I had in my fridge. I also added some jellied duck stock from cooking the legs. I cut the amount of noodles to 9 ounces, even though the original recipe called for one pound. For the pasta, I used fusilli noodles. The original recipe called for campanelle (bell shaped pasta) or garganelli. And please, do not skip turning the skin into cracklings. It’s ten times better than bacon, trust me. You can also buy confit duck legs if they are available. 
Pasta with duck confit and cabbage
Picture
Pasta with duck confit and cabbage
Pasta with duck confit and cabbage
Print the recipe

Recipe for Pasta with Duck Confit and Cabbbage

Ingredients:
4  confit duck legs (about 8 ounces)
2 large white onions (about four cups) 
1 tsp.salt 
1 (1 ½ -lb) savory cabbage (about 8 cups)
1 red pepper (optional) 
¼ cup dry white wine
9 ounces fusilli pasta
1 TBS butter 
2 TBS chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
​
Directions:
Heat oil in a large frying pan and sear the duck legs skin down until some of the fat is rendered and the skin is golden (6-8) minutes. When the duck legs are cool enough to handle, remove the skin and scrape off any visible fat. Return the skin to the frying pan and cook over moderate heat, occasionally pressing down on the skin until the fat is rendered and the skin has turned into golden crisp cracklings (about 5 minutes). Drain the cracklings on a paper towel and tear into small pieces. Pull duck meat from the legs into roughly ¼-inch-thick pieces.
Reserve 2-3 TBS of duck fat in the frying pan. Peel and halve the onions, then cut them into ¼ inch thick slices (about 4 cups). Sauté them in the duck fat, stirring occasionally until they are golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Clean and chop the red pepper into 2-inch pieces, and then add it to the onion, cooking the mixture for several minutes. In the meantime, clean and core the cabbage and cut it into 2-inch pieces. Add the cabbage and ½ tsp salt to the onions, stirring and turning for about 5 minutes, until it begins to wilt. Add the wine and cook until evaporated for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and simmer (covered) for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cabbage should be very tender. While the cabbage simmers, cook the pasta. Drain the pasta, reserving 2 cups of pasta water. Stir the cabbage mixture with the pasta either in the pasta pot or frying pan (depending on the size of your frying pan). Add the butter and shredded duck with the cracklings, and some pasta water if the pasta looks dry. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the parsley.  This dish tastes just as good the next day. 

Guten Appetit!

Recipe from Gourmet magazine 
Prepared by the Sunnycovechef.com
20 Comments
Chef Mimi link
1/11/2023 03:42:15 pm

This is a fabulous salad! I love duck confit. I’ve always made it, but after buying it in France, from the duck guy at the market, I’ve been buying it from reputable butcher shops. I just saw someone (Erin from The Lost Kitchen) marinate duck legs in a dry rub - salt, sugar, herbs - before proceeding with the oil. I’m really tempted to try that!

Reply
Gerlinde
1/13/2023 09:14:21 pm

Mimi, this recipe from Bon Appétit is really good . I tried several other techniques but really prefer this one.

Reply
Healthy World Cuisine link
1/13/2023 06:34:38 pm

I am all over this salad. LOVE duck confit. That crispy duck crackling is to die for. Happy New Year to you!

Reply
Gerlinde
1/13/2023 09:15:10 pm

And a happy New Year to you Bobbie .

Reply
Karen (Back Road Journal) link
1/16/2023 09:29:24 am

I'm totally confused by the comments about salad when I'm seeing a recipe for your delicious sounding confit of duck with pasta.

Reply
Gerlinde
2/1/2023 09:34:05 pm

It is a tasty pasta dish Karen.

Reply
David Scott Allen link
1/16/2023 01:34:26 pm

I would never have thought to combine cabbage with duck confit, but then I saw it was savoy cabbage and it made so much sense. Savoy cabbage is hard to find here but, if I do, I will be making this. I have quite a bit of duck confit in the freezer!

Reply
Gerlinde
2/1/2023 09:36:26 pm

It's a hardy dish David, rich and full of flavor. I think you would enjoy it.

Reply
sherry link
1/17/2023 02:38:52 am

i love duck! and i also enjoy cabbage but not pasta :) How lovely to have your family coming to stay! cheers sherry

Reply
Gerlinde
2/1/2023 09:39:16 pm

You could try this without pasta Sherry, I don't see why not. Have it with a baguette . I had a wonderful time with my family, especially the toddler.

Reply
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com link
1/18/2023 10:50:41 am

Gerlinde, this looks and sounds wonderful! And I think you were right to cut the amount of pasta. I really like savoy cabbage, and this is a new way for me to enjoy it.

Reply
Gerlinde
2/1/2023 09:41:01 pm

This is a great way to enjoy cabbage. I enjoy the flavor and the richness of this dish.

Reply
Jeff the Chef link
2/1/2023 06:46:39 am

OK, this is weird. I, like you, also don't like the smell of cabbage cooking ... unless I know that it's cabbage cooking, and then I love it. I mean, if I walk in the house and smell cabbage cooking - which I never do, because no one cooks in my house but me, but nonetheless - it seems awful. But if I make it to the kitchen and see that it's cabbage, then I suddenly shift into thinking it smells delicious. I told you it was weird. Anyway, have never confitted a duck before, but wow, you really make me want to.

Reply
Gerlinde
2/1/2023 09:47:03 pm

I don't like the smell of cabbage either , it smells like rotten eggs. I love eating cabbage.

Reply
Frank | Memorie di Angelina link
2/1/2023 01:20:24 pm

This sounds excellent, Gerlinde. I absolutely adore duck confit. Never tried it with pasta or cabbage, but I'm sure it's a delicious combination, one that I'm curious to try myself!

Reply
Gerlinde
2/1/2023 09:48:12 pm

Just like you I love duck confit and like experimenting with it.

Reply
Diane Marvin-Koenig
2/2/2023 10:07:28 am

Gerlinde I love the way you use confit in your cooking. This is a nice light way to get the taste of confit without the heaviness.
Gute reise on your trip to Australia and New Zealand and we miss you already.

Reply
Gerlinde
2/4/2023 09:20:54 am

My dear friend, I can’t wait to have dinner with you when I return.

Reply
Balvinder link
2/5/2023 12:39:45 pm

Actually I have never had duck but I know I would love it as I have heard it is tastier than chicken.

Reply
Gerlinde
2/7/2023 12:09:00 pm

Duck is tastier than chicken in my humble opinion. I like it a lot.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    WELCOME TO SUNNY COVE CHEF

    Thank you for visiting my blog.  My two passions are cooking and traveling. Traveling exposes me to a wide variety of food and experiences. I walk around cities looking for markets, restaurants, bakeries, shops, you name it, and if it is related to food you will find me there, tasting, smelling, talking to vendors, and having a great time.

    ​
    If you  have tried any of my recipes, snap a photo and tag me @sunnycovechef I'd love to see your creations!​


      ​STAY UPDATED!

      Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.
    Subscribe

    Categories

    All
    Appetizers
    Austria
    Cakes
    Canada
    Cookies
    Desserts
    France
    German Food
    Germany
    Holiday Cooking
    Ice Cream
    Italy
    Jam
    Main Dish
    Miscellaneous
    Morrocco
    Party Favorites
    Pasta
    Salad
    Sauces
    Seafoods
    Seasonal Cooking
    Soup
    Stories
    Sweden
    Switzerland
    USA
    Vegan
    Vegetables
    Vegetarian
    Wanderlust

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    August 2022
    July 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    April 2013

     
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Cakes
    • Cookies
    • Desserts
    • German Food
    • Holiday Cooking
    • Ice Cream
    • Jam
    • Main Dish
    • Miscellaneous
    • Party Favorites
    • Pasta
    • Salad
    • Sauces
    • Seafood
    • Seasonal Cooking
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup
    • Vegan
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian
  • Food Philosophy
    • About
  • Wanderlust
    • Austria
    • Canada
    • France
    • Germany
    • Italy
    • Morocco
    • Sweden
    • Switzerland
    • USA