This luxurious French-inspired dish features slow-cooked duck confit with crispy skin served alongside a rich turnip gratin with Gruyère and thyme, creating an elegant keto feast with just 5g net carbs per serving.
Recipe Details
Ingredients
- 4 pieces duck legs with thighs attached
- 60g coarse sea salt
- 30ml fresh thyme leaves
- 4 leaves bay leaves, crushed
- 6 cloves garlic cloves, smashed
- 480ml rendered duck fat
- 900g turnips, peeled and thinly sliced
- 240ml heavy cream
- 150g Gruyère cheese, grated
- 60g Parmesan cheese, grated
- 15ml fresh thyme leaves for gratin
- 1.25ml freshly grated nutmeg
- 2.5ml white pepper
- 30g unsalted butter
- 30g micro greens for garnish
Instructions
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Day before serving: Rub 4 pieces duck legs with thighs attached with 60g coarse sea salt, 30ml fresh thyme leaves, 4 leaves bay leaves, and 6 cloves garlic cloves. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
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Next day: Preheat oven to 120°C (250°F). Rinse duck legs and pat completely dry.
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Place duck legs in a heavy ovenproof pot and cover completely with 480ml rendered duck fat. Cover tightly and cook for 2.5-3 hours until meat is very tender.
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Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) for gratin. Butter a 23x33cm (9x13-inch) baking dish.
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Layer half the 900g turnips in the prepared dish, overlapping slightly. Season with salt, 2.5ml white pepper, and 1.25ml freshly grated nutmeg.
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In a saucepan, heat 240ml heavy cream with 15ml fresh thyme leaves for gratin until just simmering. Pour half over turnips.
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Add remaining turnips in overlapping layers. Pour remaining cream over top and sprinkle with 150g Gruyère cheese and 60g Parmesan cheese.
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Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15-20 minutes more until golden and bubbly.
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Remove duck from fat and increase oven to 220°C (425°F). Place duck skin-side up on a baking sheet and roast 10-15 minutes until skin is crispy.
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Let duck rest 5 minutes. Serve with turnip gratin and garnish with 30g micro greens for garnish.
Tips
Duck Selection: Choose plump duck legs with good fat coverage. The fat renders during cooking and keeps the meat moist.
Salt Curing: The overnight salt cure draws out moisture and seasons the meat deeply. Don't skip this step for authentic confit.
Fat Temperature: Duck fat should barely bubble during confit cooking. Too hot will toughen the meat instead of making it tender.
Turnip Prep: Slice turnips uniformly thin (about 3mm) using a mandoline for even cooking. They should be translucent when done.
Cheese Quality: Use freshly grated Gruyère for the best melting and flavor. Pre-grated cheese doesn't melt as smoothly.
Make-Ahead: Duck confit can be made days ahead and stored in its fat. Reheat to crisp the skin just before serving.
Carb Count: Approximately 5g net carbs per serving, perfect for ketogenic diets.
Wine Pairing: Pairs beautifully with a rich red Burgundy or Châteauneuf-du-Pape that complements the duck's richness.