Duck Confit Quesadillas

A heavenly recipe for duck lovers 

Tucked away on a hillside, this unique restaurant with its gorgeous setting and lush tropical landscaping has been a Capitola icon for decades. A funicular railway transports you into a different world. The restaurant itself is a mishmash of rooms on different levels with a grand entrance to a stunning bar with an indoor waterfall. There are rooms with high and low ceilings, connected by staircases. Some rooms have fireplaces, some rooms have great views and one has a redwood tree growing next to a table. Just the setting alone is worth it, but the food is delicious. Their signature dish is the miso salmon. ​

But let's return to my quesadillas. They are a real treat—a delightful mixture of flavors. I used gruyere cheese for years, but lately I've substituted goat cheese or feta cheese. The addition of different salsas and chipotle sauce supplement the quesadillas beautifully, adding richness and flavor. ​

These quesadillas are a real treat for your taste buds. The flavors explode in your mouth. I like to use Mi Rancho soft flour tortillas  but you can any tortilla you like. I have used whole wheat sprouted tortillas. The same goes for the cheese, it is a matter of taste. I love the soft goat cheese, my hubby likes feta better, as is the amount of cheese. Which salsa you use is entirely up to you. For store-bought, I like the corn salsa from Trader's Joe's. I have always made my mango avocado salsa with this dish. The zucchini salsa adds a refreshing and crunchy layer to the dish. 
This is not as complicated as it looks, everything should be ready to go once you are ready to assemble the tortillas to cook them. These quesadillas are very filling but you can't stop eating them, and they are great the next day. One tortilla per person is plenty. ​

Sautéing the duck legs

All the fat is being rendered from the skin

The meat is ready

The sauce and the salsas

Assembling the quesadilla

Enjoy

The zucchini salsa

Print Recipe

Ingredients:
Makes 6 large tortillas 

The duck mixture:
4  duck legs
1 large finely diced red onion (¾ cup) 
1 jalapeños, seeds removed and minced  
3 Tbs.  chopped cilantro
salt and pepper
11 ounces (300 grams) soft creamy goat cheese 
(or feta or grated Monterey Jack cheese) 

3 Tbs. or more safflower or olive oil

The zucchini salsa:
2 zucchinis, cut into ¼-inch dice (3 cups) 350 grams
1 large tomato, seeded and cut into ¼-inch pieces
2 Tbs. or more lemon or lime juice 
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. chopped cilantro 
½ cup (50 grams) finely diced red onion 
salt and pepper

Spicy sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbs. lemon juice
4 chipotles in adobo sauce, seeded and minced 
2 tsp. honey 

For the garnish:
sliced cabbage
 green onions  
sliced jalapeños
cilantro  leaves
​​

Directions:

The duck mixture:
Sauté the legs over medium heat until the skin turns crispy. Cool the legs and tear off the meat, separating the skin…Warning: don't start eating or you can't stop. Return the skin to the frying pan and continue to sauté it until all the fat has gone. This is called a crackle, and is absolutely delicious. Drain the skin on paper towels, break it into small pieces and add to the duck meat. Cover the meat with foil to keep warm. Add the 3/4 cup of finely chopped onion, the minced jalapeño, and 3 Tbs. chopped cilantro before you start cooking the tortillas. 

The zucchini salsa:
Combine all the ingredients in a serving bowl, cover,  and refrigerate.

Spicy Sauce:
Mix all the ingredients in a  bowl and refrigerate

Assembling and cooking the tortillas:
Spoon 1/6 of the duck mixture on the bottom half of each tortilla and top with 1/6 of the cheese. Fold the top half of the tortilla over the filling and press the edges together. 
Heat 2 Tbs. oil in your largest frying pan. Add one or two quesadillas (depending on the size of your frying pan) and cook them over medium heat, turning once. Be careful when you turn them so that the filling doesn't spill out. I like my tortillas crisp and nicely browned. Cover the cooked quesadillas with foil and keep them warm in a preheated oven. Add additional oil as you cook the remaining quesadillas. 
Cut the quesadillas into thirds and serve with all the condiments.    

Guten Appetit!
Adapted from Food and Wine magazine 
 recipe ©sunnycovechef.com  ​
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