Confit of Gamebird Leg with Braised Red Cabbage, Duck Liver Pate, Candied Apples

Thanks to High Tide Restaurant in Dunedin

This recipe is great for rabbit, quail & most game meats - especially tougher cuts.

Duck Confit
1kg rock salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cumin seeds (toasted & ground)
1 tbsp fennel seeds (toasted & ground)
1 tsp aniseed (toasted & ground)
3 fresh bay leaves
fresh thyme
6 cloves garlic
2 litres rendered fat from a duck, goose or pig. You should have enough that when melted it will cover the amount of meat you are cooking. You can put raw fat through a mincer, then boil in a pot with a little water until it becomes clear. Strain into a heatproof container.

Rub duck legs or quarters or whole quails with salt mixture and leave to sit for a few hours. Wash the salt off and then pat dry. In a crock-pot or casserole, place the duck and cover with liquid fat. Braise slowly for three hours until the meat drops off the bone. You can store this in airtight jars. To eat, scoop out some meat, place onto a tray and heat in the oven until the fat melts away, leaving the most succulent meat you’ve ever tasted!

Candied Apples
2 cups granny smith apples, peeled & diced
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cider
3 whole cloves
1 tsp lemon juice

Boil cider, sugar, cloves & lemon juice until the mixture starts to go golden, stir in apples and leave to cool.

Duck Liver Pate
500g duck livers
100g bacon
100mls port
100mls madeira
100mls brandy
2 roughly chopped onions
3 cloves garlic
fresh thyme
salt & pepper
5 beaten eggs
400g semi melted butter

Sauté duck livers and bacon until brown on the outside but still pink in the middle. Leave to cool. In a medium pot, sweat onions and garlic then add liquor. Reduce by 75% and leave to cool. In a blender wizz up livers, liquor and eggs until smooth. Slowly drizzle in melted butter until combined. Pour into moulds and place in a water bath. Cook in the oven for one hour on 160 C or until it has a firm wobble. Best made the day before.

Braised Red Cabbage
Half a Red Cabbage finely sliced
2 cups grated apple
2 cups Red Wine
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Cinnamon stick
1 tsp whole cloves
1 cup brown sugar

Place ingredients into a braising dish, covered in a med oven for three hours stirring occasionally, add more liquid if needed.