Paris in August feels like freshly washed linens basking in the hot sun — a relaxed movement formed by the summer winds, waving back and forth. There’s something so soothing about this time: relaxing in a cafe, people watching, walking along the quiet streets once everyone has gone to the countryside for vacation. It feels like you have the city all to yourself. The experience was accompanied by great food there, specifically duck confit. Confit is a French method of using low heat to preserve foods in fats such as oil. This recipe is dedicated to my trip to Paris, and obviously, I will not make you go out of your way to find duck breasts, so a garlic confit will do.
Tools
- A glass casserole dish
- Airtight container
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup of grapeseed oil
- 1 garlic bulb, peeled
- Fresh oregano and rosemary sprigs
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 250 F.
- Wash your peeled garlic cloves and herbs thoroughly, and pat dry.
- Combine the whole garlic cloves, herbs, and oil together in the casserole dish.
- Place the confit in the oven for two hours (yes, it is long but worth it).
- Once cooled, place the confit in an airtight container, and it can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks.
This confit can be used as a garlic-infused oil, spread on a piece of baguette with butter, a marinade, or even combined in a homemade salad dressing. Confit is versatile and flexible when it comes to cooking with it, and it adds a depth of flavor like no other. Confit’s culinary nature perfectly defines the French lifestyle; laid-back, relaxed, and simple — and you are going to love it.
