With the holidays quickly approaching here is an idea for an easy hors d’oeuvre from us to you. Rillettes is simply potted meat. This can be made easily at home with the following recipe or purchased from a butcher/deli counter at an excellent market (any pate can be substituted with good results here). Once you have the rillettes all you need is a great whole grain mustard, high quality cornichons and super fresh, local frisee for color and texture. Toast or grill some bread and cut into one or two bite size triangles. This is not fancy stuff but it is excellent. The hors d’oeuvre will be the sum of all 5 ingredients so make them count. Recipe below…
Duck Rillettes
2 Duck Legs (Confit)
1 Shallot (minced)
2 Garlic Cloves (Roasted)
1 Tbls. FreshThyme (minced)
1 ½ Tbls. Whole Grain Mustard
1/3 – ½ Cup Rendered Duck Fat
Salt/pepper to Taste
Remove skin from duck and pick all meat from bones. Place meat in food processor with shallot, garlic, thyme and mustard, pulse mixture until coarse but homogenous. Add fat a little at a time until desired consistency then season to taste with salt and pepper. This is best done a day before service to let flavors mingle and develop. To store cover with any leftover duck fat on top of rillettes and refrigerate.
