Duck Confit

Instructions

1. 1
   The Curing Step (Day 1): Rub the duck legs thoroughly with the coarse sea salt. Place them in a dish along with the smashed garlic, bay leaves, fresh thyme, and whole peppercorns. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours to draw out moisture and deeply season the meat.
2. 2
   The next day, remove the duck legs from the refrigerator and rinse them thoroughly under cold running water to strip away all surface salt. Pat completely dry with paper towels.
3. 3
   Preheat your oven to 110°C (230°F).
4. 4
   In a deep ovenproof pot or a heavy cast-iron Dutch oven, melt the duck fat over low heat. Submerge the dried duck legs gently into the warm liquid fat making sure they are entirely covered.
5. 5
   Cover the pot with a lid and transfer to the oven. Bake at 110°C for approximately 2.5 to 3 hours. The confit is ready when the meat is incredibly tender and starts to pull away slightly from the drumstick bone.
6. 6
   Carefully lift the duck legs out of the hot fat using tongs—they will be extremely delicate—and drain them. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the warm duck fat for cooking the potatoes.
7. 7
   For the garnish base: Heat the reserved duck fat in a skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the cubed potatoes and chopped mushrooms, sautéing until the potatoes are tender on the inside and beautifully golden-brown and crisp on the outside. Season lightly.
8. 8
   Searing for Crispy Skin: Heat a clean, dry non-stick skillet over medium-high heat (no extra oil needed). Lay the duck legs skin-side down in the hot pan. Fry for about 5 minutes, allowing the layer of fat underneath to render out until the skin turns ultra-crispy and a rich, deep mahogany brown. Flip carefully and sear for 1 minute on the other side.
9. 9
   Artistic Presentation Plating: Take a wide, clean white dinner plate and create an elegant circular swirl with the balsamic reduction glaze using a squeeze bottle, mimicking the visual style of `duck confit.png`. Center the hot potato and mushroom hash on the plate, rest the crispy duck leg elegantly on top with the bone pointing upward, and nestle the fresh green arugula leaves and three cherry tomatoes around the base.