Chicken Leg Confit

with Fall Vegetables

by LEON BOUTEILLER

With the changing colors of the leaves and the chill of the Autumn nights, I’m beginning to hunger for meals that remind me of the harvest; vegetables and fruit at the end of their growing season and rich and flavorful meat dishes in my favorite time of year.

According to Larousse Gastronomique the classical tome of French cuisine, a confit is a piece of meat cooked in its own fat and stored in a pot. A classic French technique, similar processes evolved across the globe. Covered in the cooked fat to preserve it the confit item, classically goose, duck or pork, will keep for a period of time if stored in a cool, dry place. This was especially important in the days before modern refrigeration.

One of the oldest forms of preserving food is to rub the flesh with salt, leave to cure drained and dried then cooked in fat with seasonings. It is then stored to pull out portions as needed while covering the remaining pieces with the fat for later use. Often the fat will not be its own origin but a mixture of duck, goose and/or pork.

Confit can be eaten cold or hot for it is already fully cooked. If it is poultry, it is nearly always the leg and thigh portions. The skin is removed or browned. If served cold it is usually served with a salad and if hot is served with some vegetables, potatoes and/or legumes. Duck or goose confit is also an ingredient in cassoulet, a soup or stew garbure another classic French dish.

I use chicken legs as they are less expensive, more available and take less time to cook. Served with some pan roasted Fall vegetables, it is a hearty and satisfying dish for the season.

CHICKEN LEG CONFIT with FALL VEGETABLES

Ingredients for Confit:

4 chicken leg/thigh quarters
3 to 4 cups fat. Duck fat is available but olive oil works as well as a blend of fats
2 crushed garlic cloves
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 sprigs of thyme
1 large sprig rosemary
4 bay leaves

Method for the confit:

put the chicken legs, salt and pepper in a ziplock bag and massage until all surfaces of the legs are coated with the salt and pepper, then refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight
remove the legs and pat dry with a paper towel
place the legs in a Dutch oven or cast iron casserole layered with the herbs and garlic
pour the fat over the legs, cover completely, cover the casserole and place on the stovetop over medium low heat until hot and starting to bubble slowly
place the covered casserole in a preheated 250 F degree oven and set a timer for 90 minutes
when the timer ends, turn the oven off and leave the casserole in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven
after the casserole has cooled a bit, place in the refrigerator overnight

Ingredients for the vegetables: (2 servings)

8 to 10 baby potatoes, cut in half
8 to 10 Brussels sprouts, cut in half
1 red bell pepper, cut into roughly bite sized pieces
1 medium Spanish onion, cut into roughly bite sized pieces
1 medium apple, firm and not over ripe, cored and cut into bite sized pieces (do not peel)
1 clove garlic, crushed and minced
2 tablespoons cooking fat from the confit
1/4 teaspoon each of dry thyme and rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

ten minutes or so before the vegetables cook, remove 2 of the chicken legs from the fat, removing as much excess fat as possible
place the leg quarters on a pie plate or small roasting pan and place in the oven and cook for about 25 minutes
begin the vegetables when the confit chicken goes in the oven
heat the two tablespoons of fat in a large skillet
add the potatoes and the onion and cook for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften
add the rest of the ingredients and toss to blend, then place in a preheated 400 F degree oven for about 20 minutes, tossing to redistribute after 10 minutes, return to oven and cook until the vegetables are done but still firm

For service:

the chicken and the vegetables should be done at about the same time. The confit should have started to brown and the skin begun to crisp
divide cooked vegetables between two warm plates and top with a chicken leg and serve

This is not a difficult preparation and should be an easy one to add to your Fall lineup of favorite dishes. It just takes time and a little planning. It’s better to choose apples that will hold up during cooking such as; Golden Delicious, Ida Red or Mutzu instead of McIntosh or Cortland. The addition of a few mushrooms to the pan roasted vegetables is welcome and some grain mustard on the side. Enjoy!