It always seems nothing short of a miracle when tomato seeds saved from last summer germinate like this, and a further miracle (I hope) when they go on to produce this summer’s crop. All nine varieties are growing well nine days after sowing. And now the pepper seeds, sown a week ago, have started to germinate too. The new season is on its way.
And the last of last summer – we started eating the last of our Chilean ‘smashing pumpkins’ today, roasting part of it to eat with cuisse de canard confit. I cheated a bit with the duck confit, starting with fresh duck legs and slow-roasting them in their own fat with olive oil and herbs added, covered with foil for about 3 hours and then uncovered and drained from their fat to brown. Just like the real thing!
Of course, it’s essential to have a glass of red wine with this dish, following the rules of what is known as the French paradox: that people in the south-west of France eat a lot of duck fat but still have long healthy lives because they drink red wine with it. I’m not going to argue with that.
Our cheese course was very local – Mas Rolland demi-sec and cendré (coated in wood ash) goats’ cheeses, which also go well with the local red Faugères.
Perfectly cooked duck leg. My favorite!
I just can’t find fault with the menu, and congratulations on your rapid germinating seeds. Bodes well for the summer.
That confit looks excellent and I just bought some terrific goat’s cheese in ash from the farmers’ market!
Enjoy the goats’ cheese!
Wow – that is a fantastic success with the seeds! Love the meal and Iif I send you a container could you return it full of cheese please?!
Maybe we could do an exchange with some jamon!!! But I thought you had goats near you too?
We do, but they send most of their milk off to big dairies who only seem to produce hard cheeses and not any of those gorgeous soft ones 😦
“Wonders” is right! That’s quite a sight and I hope I’ll get those results from the seeds I’ve planted. And that’s a fine lunch you prepared. All in all, a great post today! 🙂
I love those cheeses, still trying to work out why they roll that one in ash.. c
It does add to the flavour, but I think originally it was to help preserve the cheese.