Copper and knitting needles duck confit

Duck confit has been on the list of to dos for about a month. With a third duck in less than a week, we finally confit-ed and it was moist and succulent. We only taste tested it as the Larousse instructs us to keep it in a cool place for 5-6 months to achieve an authentic confit...I hope only to be able to tell the taste of authentic from that of off. For maximum authenticity, we even cooked it in a deep copper cauldron - yes, cauldron. Alas, my recovery is not quite there yet and I forgot how long I had it on the stove for and as I wasn't authentic enough to stick a knitting needle in to check for traces of blood, I hope it was for the recommended 2 hours. 

Be prepared with scented candles and anti grease spray for all that duck fat. It will all be worth it, duck confit is after all meatbutter, if there were such a thing.

Bass vs bream vs duck

Being "duck&thyme" and all, I really should have "inaugurated" with a duck recipe from Larousse / Barefoot, but I only thought of this today and there was already a sea bass defrosting in the fridge. I did look up some duck recipes as consolation, and the duck soufflé looks rather promising, perhaps for a day alla prossima.

Anyway, I looked up both bass and bream which I think (hope) are similar types of fish and found a charming recipe for each. One was bass a la duglere (frenched up, of course) and the other bream stuffed with fennel. To be honest, whilst a rustic cook, the a la duglere recipe looked a little simpler so I decided to try the fennel stuffing, which at least required "butterflying" it. I've done fish this way before and it has always turned out well. What's intriguing is that the stuffing is with a mixture of fennel, breadcrumbs moistened with milk, pastis and lemon juice. I hope milk brings the same flavour to fish as does butter, it's from the same source after all. 

I should note now that my trusty local Waitroses, both little and large, had no kitchen twine, which is required as part of the recipe. This is most peculiar as it was American thanksgiving only yesterday, Canadian thanksgiving only last month and Christmas is round the corner! I'm tying some birds up soon so hopefully they will be stocking it then. Oh well, never mind, my bass won't be in bondage so I'll just have to adjust the cooking time, right?

The verdict: the other half gave it a thumbs up, fish was moist and yummy. The stuffing was good but only when eaten with the fish (perhaps I put too much milk for the adjusted cooking time). I think it would also have been easy enough to make it diary and gluten free. But, already with all the bass vs bream/bondage/time adjustments, one had enough to argue that I hadn't followed the recipe at all! Perhaps I have another chance at inauguration after all...

Larousse has arrived!

It's here! And it's Friday! What more could a girl want?

Except for...I have had it for a full hour and a half so why haven't I even taken the plastic off it? Should I not rip it apart and start devouring it, feeling blessed for every nugget of wisdom it imparts me?

Could it be "Fear, plain old fear" ..?

Perhaps I should start with La barefoot contessa!