Duck confit.
It works best with the legs but you and do it with breast and it makes great Christmas presents.
Step one the Night before Cookmas
Joint the bird if its a large one you might just want o use the legs.
Next salt both sides and leave over night in the fridge. This is to add flavor and to remove some of the water like you do when you are making bacon. At also acts as a preservative.
Cookmas Day
Next day set the oven at 150C
Wash off the salt and dry off
Place in a casserole dish with a spring of thyme and just cover with melted duck fat either from your last roast duck or from the supermarket in cans or jars. It used to that you could only get it at this time of year for your roasties but its a pretty much a year round thing now.
Place in the low oven and leave it for a couple of hours.
It is cooked when its tender and just about to drop off the bone and the skin is golden to a nut brown.
at this stage if you have done the breast take it on the bone (leave the leg bones in).
When it just cool enough to handle but the fat is still liquid sterilise a kilner jar(s) and lid in the oven.
Carefully place the lovely duck in the jar to within about an inch from the top. Reheat the duck fat, whip out the thyme and label it in to cover duck. Pop the lid on and tighten.
Let go cold and you will have your own fresh 'canned' confit de canard that you can either lay up for three to four months (to be on the safe side) or whack on a nice label and ribbon and as a homemade Christmas gift.
To reheat scoop it out of the jar and fry off in in a frying pan and serve with boiled potatoes and greens.
Remember to save the duck fat for your roasties or you next batch.