Duck Confit

I knew little about the process of making duck confit and rillette — that is, until I watched chef Matt Bolton make the two at this year's Chefs' Holidays. It was a revelation to realize how something as simple as preserving meat in its own fat could produce such tender results.

Another groundbreaking concept? The idea that the paddle attachment of a standing mixer can be a boon for things savory as much as sweet. To shred the confited duck for his rillette, the chef didn't bother with a fork, knife, or cutting board; he simply dumped the meat in his mixer (with the paddle attachment), turned it on, and within moments had perfectly shredded duck meat.

Have you ever used a mixer to shred meat?

Source: Flickr User FotoosVanRobin

Last week, I took a trip to Yosemite National Park for the kickoff session of The Ahwahnee's annual Chefs' Holidays. The event ended with a big blowout dinner, but I walked away with tons of tips. Chef Matt Bolton, who runs the kitchen at Pacific's Edge restaurant in Carmel's Highlands Inn, showed the audience how to confit a duck leg to make pâté-like rillette.

But I was most impressed with his other dish, tiny cubes of butternut squash slow-cooked in the style of risotto, and topped with foraged mushrooms. While preparing his dishes, Bolton offered a number of suggestions for cleaning, storing, and cooking with fungi. See them when you read on.