Amuse Bouche: Craving Duck Confit

Sometimes it’s easy to practice moderation, to sit down at a nice restaurant and order a salad of mixed greens and a skinless grilled chicken breast. Sometimes, however, your tummy (and, dare we say, your inner soul) cries out for more, for something decadent and rich and savory. At those times, there is little better than duck confit. Duck confit, for the uninitiated, is simply duck cooked and preserved in its own fat. Like so many brilliant culinary traditions, it was born out of thrift and economy and is now enjoyed in high-end restaurants. Duck confit tastes absolutely ridiculous: unctuous, complex, and luxurious. It can be found on the menu of many a French restaurant (and quite a few non-French ones as well). Here are four of our favorite places to sample the preserved quacker in the Hub.

•We happen to adore the richness of duck confit, but even we will admit that it’s nice to cut it with something a bit lighter. Les Zygomates has the right idea. Their duck confit is served with apricots, greens and a buttermilk vinaigrette, making a dish that is perfectly balanced to the tastebuds, if not to the Nutrition Council.
•Craving duck confit on your (very short) lunch break? Run along to Pressed Sandwiches for a baguette stuffed with duck, blue cheese, spinach, and spiced slices of pear. Not too shabby for a quick bite!
•Those hearty souls who can eat duck preserved in its own fat as a mere appetizer should make for Coda and sample the rather hearty starter of duck confit paired with bean ragout.
•It’s very possible that Chez Henri presents the most interesting take on duck confit in town. The leg of the duck is glazed with a tamarind-rum concoction and served with a papaya salad and sesame rice crackers.

Les Zygomates [Official Site]
Pressed Sandwiches [Official Site]
Coda [MenuPages]
Chez Henri [Official Site]

[Photo: Wikipedia]

Amuse Bouche: Craving Duck Confit