Duck confit is a rich, flavourful dish that deserves sides to match. The great classic remains sarladaise potatoes, but seasonal vegetables, legumes and well-dressed salads suit it just as well. Here are our best ideas for building a balanced meal around duck confit, and the wines that go with it.
Potatoes, the essential classic
In Périgord, confit is almost always served with sarladaise potatoes: potato slices golden in duck fat and finished with garlic and parsley. It is the perfect match, since the confit fat is used to cook the potatoes. Follow our duck confit with sarladaise potatoes recipe.
For a change, try a buttery homemade mash, a gratin dauphinois or baby potatoes roasted in the oven with a little duck fat and thyme.
Seasonal vegetables
To lighten the plate, go for vegetables that bring freshness and colour. In autumn and winter, sautéed mushrooms, especially porcini, are a traditional South-West pairing. Honey-roasted carrots and parsnips, roasted squash or pan-fried Brussels sprouts also work very well.
In spring and summer, serve the confit with garlic green beans, French-style peas or ratatouille.
Legumes
Green lentils simmered with a little bacon and carrot make a rustic, generous side that is especially good in winter. White beans recall cassoulet, of which duck confit is the star ingredient. Discover our ready-to-serve duck confit cassoulet.
Salads for balance
A sharply dressed green salad brings the acidity that balances the richness of duck. Choose bold leaves such as frisée, arugula or lamb's lettuce, and add a few walnuts, a Périgord specialty, with a walnut oil vinaigrette.
What wine goes with duck confit?
Confit calls for a structured, generous red from South-West France. A Cahors, Madiran, Bergerac or Saint-Mont pairs perfectly with the richness of duck. For a softer match, a Bordeaux Supérieur or Côtes-du-Rhône also works very well. In Quebec, these are easy to find at the SAQ.
What about a starter?
Stay with the South-West theme with a few toasts of duck rillettes or a slice of foie gras, in small portions to save your appetite. For dessert, go for freshness: a thin apple tart, roasted pears or a sorbet.
Our Périgord duck confit
Our Périgord duck confit brings together duck legs slowly confited in their own fat, with no additives or preservatives, in 380 g and 770 g. To prepare it, follow our tips on how to cook duck confit.
FAQ
What vegetable goes with duck confit?
Sautéed mushrooms, especially porcini, are the traditional pairing. Garlic green beans, roasted carrots and Brussels sprouts also work very well.
What sauce goes with duck confit?
Confit usually needs no sauce. For a fresh touch, a porcini sauce, an orange sauce or a simple pan jus deglazed with balsamic vinegar all work well.
What starch goes with duck confit?
Potatoes in every form, green lentils or white beans. They soak up the duck juices and round out the plate.
What wine goes with duck confit?
A structured South-West French red: Cahors, Madiran, Bergerac or Saint-Mont. Their tannins stand up to the richness of the meat.
