Duck-Fat Polenta with Duck Skin Fritons

By stancec44

Ingredients

• Skins from 2 duck legs
• 1 cup coarsely ground cornmeal
• 2 tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste
• 1⁄2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
• 4 tbsp. (about 2 oz.) rendered duck fat or unsalted butter, melted Freshly ground nutmeg, to taste

Details

Adapted from saveur.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make the duck skin fritons:
Preheat the oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the duck skins on the parchment, stretching and flattening them slightly to maximize their surface area. Cover them with another sheet of parchment, and put another baking sheet on top of that, sandwiching the skins so they lie flat.

Transfer to the oven and bake until the duck skins are golden brown and slightly puffed up, 55 minutes to an hour.

Remove pan from the oven; pat the skins dry between paper towels and let cool slightly. Break the fritons into bite-size pieces.

Meanwhile, prepare the cornmeal: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, add the cornmeal, 5 cups cold water, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until just simmering (do not boil). Cover the pot and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick and creamy, 40–45 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.

Remove the pot from the heat and transfer the polenta to a shallow serving bowl or rimmed serving platter. Spoon the melted duck fat or butter over the top. Dust lightly with freshly grated nutmeg, garnish with the crispy fritons, and serve immediately.