SC - Re: sca-cooks Creativity

[Dottie Elliott]

Elizabeth Marsh wrote:
> 
> Well the best modern example of keeping fowl in its own fat is duck confite
> (confeet? confete?, spelling is not my forte') , which is essentially
> cooked duck  covered completely in duck fat and refrigerated for many
> months.  I would think the refrigeration is quite key.  But the fat keeps
> out the air and the nasty things that it carries hence allowing for an
> increased length of preservation.  Modern recipes should be readily
> available in a french cookbook and would probably lend themselves to
> adaptation.  (or if you watch the food channel David Rosengarten did a
> really neat rendition of this)
> 
> Elena

The whole point of confits of duck, goose, pork, and a host of others,
is that they were devised to keep food fresh before refrigeration was an
issue. Almost invariably, the meat was and is subjected to a light cure
before the confiting process begins.

Ideal temperature for storing such confits is considered to be in the
50's F.; while there was no artificial refrigeration, there were things
like cellars to compensate. Also, this was less of a problem when there
was no central heating either.

By the way: Confits are believed by many to be Savoyard in
origin...Anybody know offhand if they appear in Chiquart? I don't have a
copy...I guess it would depend on the season of the feast Chiquart
covers.

Adamantius