Polish sausage and duck leg confit with cabbage, tomato, garlic, and pepper soup 4 servings storage: all refrigerated; soup [7c lidded pyrex bowl], sausage [4c lidded pyrex bowl] duck legs wrapped in foil, in a zip bag with a paper towel reheat: uncovered on plate, soup in [2c pyrex bowl]; 250°F 30min serve with hoppy beer ===== Duck leg confit - 400°F [small sheet pan covered w/ heavy foil] 4 confit duck legs bake 400°F 10min, turn off heat and leave in oven until ready to serve ===== Cabbage, tomato, garlic, and pepper soup [3qt stainless saucepan] 2tbsp duck fat (from confit) 4 tomatoes diced yellow onion diced 6 cloves garlic minced, or 4 cloves plus 4 garlic stems chopped, or 1 head young garlic 3 med carrots peeled, sliced 3-4 serranos or jalapeños seeded, albedoed, finely diced (optional) 4-5 gai lan stems sliced into thin batons (no leaves), or broccoli stems 1/3 small head green cabbage sliced in ribbons 6-8 kohlrabi leaves sliced into ribbons, and/or mustard leaves (gai choy) or mustard, mizuna, or kohlrabi microgreens chopped (prefer both kohlrabi and mustard) 1 kohlrabi bulb sliced into batons (optional) 2-3 baby turnips sliced into batons, plus turnip greens sliced into ribbons 600g polish sausage, preferably smoked (Brandt's e.g.), cut into 4 pieces 900ml chicken stock (actually half chicken/half veal is probably best) may substitute carnitas jelly for half the stock 1.1/2tsp salt 2tsp white wine vinegar 1tbsp cider vinegar 1.1/2tsp tabasco sauce bay leaf black pepper oregano sage thyme heat fat [med] with 1/2 onion, 2 tomatoes, 3cl garlic until well reduced; add 2 carrots and 3 peppers plus salt, herbs; reduce while chopping remaining onion, carrot, pepper; add with 450ml of stock; reduce [med-hi] by 1/3; add remaining stock, sausage, tabasco; reduce [med to med-hi] by 1/3 again; add vinegar, remaining garlic; remove sausage; add broccoli, kohlrabi bulb; add cabbage, leaves; simmer [med] 30min ===== I'll take this opportunity to give some other side dishes for duck and for pork. I love bok choy or chinese cabbage with duck, and have a couple of alternatives. The first is for when fresh chickpeas are in season, and then two substitutes. Finally a sweet side dish for pork. ===== Fresh chickpeas with garlic, lemon, and bok choy [1.8l stainless saucepan] ~200g fresh chickpeas shelled (~1/2c) fresh chickpeas should be yellowish, papery, and airy, not green and wet; store in paper bag water to cover 1/2tsp salt 1 clove garlic minced 2tsp lemon juice 2 small handfulls green bok choy leaves shredded cook chickpeas in water with salt and garlic [med-low] until liquid reduces; add lemon juice and bok choy, turn heat off, stir; portion into cups ===== Chou chinois [3qt stainless saucepan, 4 1c lidded pyrex cups] ~1/2 head Nappa cabbage, apodized, sliced into quarters (alt: baby bok choy) 1/4tsp salt Beurre noisette: 2tbsp butter 1 clove garlic crushed melt butter in saucepan with garlic (med); discard garlic; add cabbage; turn off heat portion into cups when done ===== White beans [1.8l stainless saucepan, 4 1c lidded pyrex cups] 2/3c great northern, white kidney, or navy beans sorted water to cover by 2cm bay leaf 1/4 onion chopped 1/2 med carrot, sliced in small strips 3/4tsp salt 1/8tsp caraway seeds black pepper smoked paprika thyme sage soak beans in water overnight; cook until done (lowest) ~4hr with bay, keep enough water add salt and seasonings after ~3hr; when soft simmer uncovered ~1hr (4-5 tot) until sauce is thick ===== Sweet potatoes [5qt pot, 3qt stainless saucepan] 3 orange sweet potatoes 3 Macintosh apples - mostly peeled (leaving a little for flavor), cored, sliced thin 2tbsp butter 1/4c orange juice 2tsp salt simmer sweet potatoes in well-salted water covered (low) ~40min; cool, remove skin; sweat apples in butter (med-lo); add sweet potatoes, oj, salt; mash simmer to cook through if necessary; uncover and reduce liquid a bit (low) do reduce until stiff but do not brown at all - be patient, stir frequently