Crisp Duck Confit with Glazed Haricots Verts and Duck-Fat-Fried Japanese Sweet Potatoes

Crisp Duck Confit

Gentle reheating warms the already-tender meat without drying it out; a hotter finish crisps the skin. Purchased confit makes this a practical dinner rather than a multiday project.

Ingredients

• 4 prepared duck confit legs, preferably Fatted Calf; gluten-free

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Gently remove excess fat from the cold confit legs, reserving clean fat for the potatoes. Leave a thin coating on the duck skin.
2. Arrange the legs skin-side up in a shallow roasting dish, with space between them. Heat for 20–25 minutes, until warmed through.
3. Raise the oven to 450°F and roast for another 8–12 minutes, until the skin is deeply golden and crisp and the center reaches 165°F. If needed, broil briefly, watching closely to prevent scorching.
4. Rest uncovered for 5 minutes. Taste before adding salt, since confit is already cured.

Notes

• Follow any package-specific reheating directions. Avoid covering the duck after crisping, which softens the skin.

Butter-Glazed Haricots Verts with Parsley and Lemon

A small amount of butter emulsifies with the cooking water into a light glaze rather than a heavy sauce. Lemon and parsley provide a clean contrast to the duck and fried potatoes.

Ingredients

• 1 lb haricots verts, stem ends trimmed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup water, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Place the beans, water, butter, and salt in a wide skillet. Bring to a lively simmer over medium-high heat, then cover and cook for 3–4 minutes.
2. Uncover and cook for another 3–5 minutes, tossing frequently, until the beans are tender with a slight bite and the liquid has reduced to a glossy coating. Add a splash of water if the pan dries before the beans are tender; do not let the butter brown.
3. Remove from the heat and toss with the lemon juice and most of the parsley. Adjust salt and pepper, then scatter the remaining parsley over the beans.

Notes

• If the glaze looks oily, add a teaspoon or two of water and toss vigorously to bring it back together.

Duck-Fat-Fried Japanese Sweet Potatoes

Steaming cooks the dense sweet potato centers before frying. Dry surfaces and generous contact with hot duck fat create golden crusts while preserving the creamy interior and red-purple skins.

Ingredients

• 2 lb Japanese sweet potatoes, scrubbed and left unpeeled
• 6 tablespoons rendered duck fat, including clean fat reserved from the confit
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided, plus more to taste
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Cut the sweet potatoes into chunky wedges or half-moons about 1 inch thick, keeping broad cut faces for browning.
2. Steam over simmering water for 12–18 minutes, until a thin knife enters with slight resistance and the pieces hold their shape.
3. Spread on a tray and let steam-dry for 10–15 minutes. Blot away any remaining surface moisture.
4. Heat 3 tablespoons duck fat in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the potatoes in a single layer, laying a broad cut face against the pan. Season with half the salt.
5. Fry without moving for 4–5 minutes, until a golden crust forms. Turn and brown the other cut faces for another 4–6 minutes, reducing the heat if they darken too quickly.
6. Transfer to a rack or an uncovered tray. Repeat with the remaining fat, potatoes, and salt. Finish with pepper and additional salt if needed, and serve promptly.

Notes

• Use clean rendered fat rather than watery juices from the confit package, which can cause splattering.
• Keep finished batches uncovered in a 200°F oven if needed; prolonged holding softens the crust.

Overall Timing / Workflow

Start the potatoes first, reheat the duck while they dry, and cook the beans last. This keeps the two crisp components hot and the beans freshly glazed.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 325°F and set up the steamer. Cut the sweet potatoes, trim the beans, and remove excess fat from the confit.
2. 0:10 — Steam the potatoes and put the duck in the oven.
3. 0:25 — Spread the potatoes out to dry. Chop the parsley and measure the bean ingredients.
4. 0:35 — Raise the oven to 450°F to crisp the duck. Begin frying the first batch of potatoes.
5. 0:45 — Remove the crisp duck when it reaches 165°F and rest uncovered. Fry the second batch of potatoes and start the beans in a separate skillet.
6. 0:55–1:05 — Finish the beans with lemon and parsley, season the potatoes, and plate immediately.

Notes

• Use the doneness cues rather than the clock if the duck legs or sweet potato pieces are especially large.

Plating

Keeping the glazed beans beside, rather than beneath, the duck and potatoes protects their crisp surfaces.

Instructions

1. Place one duck leg skin-side up on each warm plate.
2. Arrange the glazed beans alongside the duck in a loose pile, with the parsley visible on top.
3. Set the sweet potato pieces around the remaining space with their browned faces facing up. Spoon any remaining bean glaze over the beans only.

Leftover Path

Separate storage makes it easier to re-crisp the duck and potatoes without overcooking the beans.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate the duck, potatoes, and beans in separate shallow containers within 2 hours. Use within 3–4 days.
2. Reheat duck skin-side up at 350°F until the center reaches 165°F, then briefly broil to restore crispness.
3. Reheat potatoes in a 425°F oven for 10–15 minutes, turning once. Warm beans gently in a covered skillet with a splash of water.
4. For a different meal, shred the duck and crisp it with chopped leftover sweet potatoes in a little duck fat. Fold in sliced beans at the end and finish with fresh parsley and lemon.