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. 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. 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. Recipe for Pasta with Duck Confit and CabbbageIngredients:
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
24 Comments
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!
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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.
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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!
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Gerlinde
1/13/2023 09:15:10 pm
And a happy New Year to you Bobbie .
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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.
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Gerlinde
2/1/2023 09:34:05 pm
It is a tasty pasta dish Karen.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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Gerlinde
2/1/2023 09:48:12 pm
Just like you I love duck confit and like experimenting with it.
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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.
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Gerlinde
2/4/2023 09:20:54 am
My dear friend, I can’t wait to have dinner with you when I return.
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Gerlinde
2/7/2023 12:09:00 pm
Duck is tastier than chicken in my humble opinion. I like it a lot.
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Gerlinde
3/2/2023 06:40:03 pm
I have been gone for a while, it’s time for to get back to the kitchen and blogging,
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This Duck Confit Pasta with Cabbage recipe from Sunny Cove Chef sounds absolutely amazing! The combination of tender duck confit and savory cabbage creates a rich and flavorful pasta dish. The presentation is appetizing, with the pasta and cabbage beautifully plated and the succulent duck confit adding a touch of elegance. The preparation process appears to showcase the slow-cooked duck confit and the careful incorporation of cabbage to create a hearty and satisfying meal. It's a recipe that highlights the indulgent flavors of duck and promises a delightful dining experience. Perfect for those looking to elevate their pasta dishes with a touch of sophistication!
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Gerlinde
7/26/2023 08:59:52 am
Thank you Madalaine for this nice comment. I just looked at your blog and it is beautiful.
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WELCOME TO SUNNY COVE CHEFThank 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. Categories
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