Duck Confit with Roasted Kumquats, Asparagus, and Pumpkin Bushi Roots

Crisp-Skinned Duck Confit

A measured overnight cure seasons the legs throughout, and gentle cooking in duck fat makes the connective tissue tender. A hot oven crisps the skin without requiring a frying pan.

Ingredients

• 4 duck legs, about 300–350 g each
• 1 % of duck weight fine sea salt, about 12–14 g
• 1 tsp black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
• 4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 6–8 cups rendered duck fat, enough to cover the legs in a snug baking dish

Instructions

1. Weigh the duck legs and measure salt equal to 1% of their weight. Rub with the salt and pepper, then arrange with the garlic, thyme, and bay leaves in a nonreactive dish. Cover and refrigerate for 12–24 hours.
2. Heat the oven to 225°F / 107°C. Brush off the aromatics and wipe the legs dry; do not add more salt.
3. Arrange the legs snugly in a deep ovenproof dish. Melt the duck fat and pour over them to cover. Cover the dish and cook for 3½–5 hours, until a skewer slides easily into the thickest part and the leg joint moves freely. The meat should be very tender but still hold together.
4. Lift the legs carefully onto a rack over a rimmed tray and let excess fat drain. For make-ahead cooking, chill promptly as directed in the notes.
5. To finish, heat the oven to 425°F / 220°C. Arrange the legs skin-side up on a rack over a rimmed tray and roast for 20–30 minutes, until the skin is deeply browned and crisp. If reheating chilled legs, allow 30–40 minutes and verify the center reaches 165°F / 74°C; shield any overly dark areas with foil.
6. Rest for 5 minutes, keeping the skin uncovered.

Notes

• Four good-quality prepared confit duck legs can replace the curing and slow-cooking stages; follow their reheating instructions, then crisp the skin.
• For make-ahead confit, remove the legs from the large vessel of hot fat and refrigerate in shallow containers within 2 hours. Chill the strained fat separately. Do not leave the full pot at room temperature to cool overnight.

Roasted Kumquats

Roasting softens the edible peel and browns the cut surfaces while retaining enough tartness to cut through the duck's richness.

Ingredients

• 250 g kumquats
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 pinch fine sea salt

Instructions

1. Trim away any stems. Cut smaller kumquats crosswise in half and larger ones into thick rounds; remove visible seeds.
2. Toss gently with the olive oil and salt. Spread in a small metal roasting dish, with as many cut surfaces facing down as possible.
3. Roast at 425°F / 220°C for 12–18 minutes, turning once, until softened with browned edges but not collapsed.
4. Spoon the warm kumquats and any juices over the duck just before serving, leaving some crisp skin exposed.

Notes

• Taste a kumquat before roasting. If exceptionally sour, finish the hot fruit with 1 teaspoon honey; a distinctly tart result is intentional.

Roasted Asparagus

A short, hot roast gives the spears browned tips while keeping their centers juicy. A little lemon brightens the rich plate without turning the asparagus into a separate salad.

Ingredients

• 1½ lb medium-to-thick asparagus
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Trim the woody ends from the asparagus. Peel the lower third of unusually thick spears.
2. Dry thoroughly, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Roast at 425°F / 220°C for 10–15 minutes, turning once, until the tips are lightly browned and the stems yield to a knife with a little resistance.
4. Finish with the lemon juice immediately before serving.

Roasted Sunchokes and Celeriac with Pumpkin Bushi

Sunchokes become sweet and creamy beneath their browned skins, while celeriac adds a firmer, earthy counterpoint. Pumpkin bushi goes on after roasting so its delicate shavings and smoky umami remain distinct.

Ingredients

• 1 lb sunchokes
• 1 lb peeled celeriac
• 2½ tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1–2 tsp Noma Projects pumpkin bushi, finely shaved or grated

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F / 220°C. Scrub the sunchokes well, leaving the skins on, and cut into roughly 1-inch chunks. Cut the peeled celeriac into slightly smaller, ¾-inch chunks or wedges.
2. Toss both vegetables with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet with space between the pieces and broad cut surfaces against the metal.
3. Roast for 35–45 minutes, turning after about 25 minutes, until deeply browned at the edges and completely tender in the center. Remove individual pieces early if they finish before the rest.
4. Taste and adjust the salt lightly. Transfer to a warm serving dish or plates and grate the pumpkin bushi over the hot vegetables, beginning with 1 teaspoon and adding more to taste.

Notes

• Use separate areas of the tray for the two vegetables so either can be removed when ready. Crowded vegetables steam rather than brown.
• Treat pumpkin bushi as a finishing seasoning rather than a roasting ingredient.

Overall Timing / Workflow

Making the confit ahead separates the long, gentle cooking from the hot roasting needed for a crisp, freshly finished plate.

Instructions

1. One to two days ahead: cure and cook the duck, then chill promptly if not serving immediately.
2. About 65 minutes before serving: heat the oven to 425°F / 220°C and prepare the roots, asparagus, and kumquats.
3. About 50 minutes before serving: start roasting the sunchokes and celeriac.
4. About 40 minutes before serving: put chilled confit legs into the oven on a separate rack and tray. If using freshly cooked, still-warm confit, start it about 30 minutes before serving.
5. About 20 minutes before serving: add the kumquats. Turn the roots and rotate trays as needed for even browning.
6. About 15 minutes before serving: roast the asparagus. If oven space is tight, remove the finished roots and keep warm while the asparagus cooks.
7. At serving time: check that reheated duck is hot through, rest it briefly, finish the asparagus with lemon, and shave pumpkin bushi over the roots.

Notes

• Use convection if available and watch browning closely with several trays in the oven. Avoid crowding the asparagus or roots onto the duck tray.

Plating

Separate groupings preserve the contrast between crisp duck skin, juicy citrus, green spears, and earthy roasted roots.

Instructions

1. Place one duck leg skin-side up on each warm plate.
2. Spoon roasted kumquats over part of the leg, allowing a little citrus juice to run around rather than over all the crisp skin.
3. Lay the asparagus beside the duck in a loose parallel bundle.
4. Add a compact mound of roasted sunchokes and celeriac, finishing with the pumpkin bushi just before the plates leave the kitchen.

Leftover Path

Keeping the duck separate from the citrus and vegetables makes it easier to recover crisp skin and avoid overcooking the asparagus.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow covered containers within 2 hours, storing duck, kumquats, and vegetables separately. Use within 3–4 days or freeze the duck for longer storage.
2. Reheat duck skin-side up at 375°F / 190°C until the center reaches 165°F / 74°C, then briefly broil if needed to crisp the skin.
3. Reheat roots on a separate tray until hot. Warm kumquats gently in a small covered dish so their juices do not evaporate.
4. Use leftover asparagus cold or gently warmed. Alternatively, shred the duck and serve with chopped roasted roots, asparagus, and kumquats as a warm composed salad.

Notes

• A covering of duck fat does not make home-prepared confit shelf-stable.