You could make a simple paper stencil to add faces on top with a sprinkling of paprika.
Or, you know, buy fancy Star Wars stencils. 
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Faces, stencil, paprika. The summary of all the tips (with Iām thankful for). Great!
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Going for simplicity today.
- Cold soba (buckhweat) noodles
- Sliced boiled egg
- Wakame (sea weed)
- Sesame seeds
- Dashi (bonito broth, mirin, tamari)
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Mmmm, sounds nice. Itās bedtime over here. But otherwise I would have asked for an other bowl.
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I am getting a muscovy duck tomorrow from aā¦ Duck enthusiast?.. And want to make a cassoulet. But Iāve never had it. Any suggestions? Just an FYI,I can confit a duck like a champ.
Edit
Thinking about this:
Kenji critiqued my Reuben years back, and I had no idea who he was. Now I know he has his shit together 
(Kenji is you see this, fist bump!)
Edit 2
Oh god, that was six years ago.
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That article is interesting, but too much. Some good info in it, some overdone hand-wringing. I make cassoulet every few months. Iāve done it many ways, but the simpler ways are the best. You said you make homemade sausage, so lots of that. Tarragon, white pepper and white wine āsaucisse de Toulouseā is the best. Or country style thatās just pork, salt and pepper. Donāt go heavy on bacon, as the smoke will overpower. Use real pork belly if you can get it instead of salt pork. Or boneless country style ribs in this country.
You can confit the duck then cassoulet it. But thatās overkill. You can just use it. Itās not going to add much to cook the hell out of it then cook the hell out of it again.
And, the beans. I actually went on the net and bought $20 Tarbais white beans imported from France. Are they better? Well, yeah. Itās overkill but it is better. That variety doesnāt turn to mush after cooking all day. Do NOT use Lima beans. A better stand in would be small white beans like great northerns. Cannellinis are so-so. They get mushy and are better for soup than stew. I think in the USA the best we have are the little white ones.
Donāt make it too tomatoey. Use homemade demiglace for the broth for a richer flavor.
A friend brought me a can of goose cassoulet from France a few years ago. It was this big yellow 1-liter can. I was skeptical but it was on the short list of the best fucking cassoulet Iāve ever had. The BEST OF THE BEST was the cassoulet I had at Bourdainās old restaurant Les Halles in NYC. Never been to France, gasp. Yeah, Iām a stupid poseur.
Thatās all I got. Good luck. Post pics.
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Iāve been to bourdains les halles and wasā¦ Well, Iām glad I went there. I am a stupid poseur as well, bit you start out as one till you arenāt.
How meaty vs. how beany should it be? And a crusty top?
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Iām curious about the crusty top. Youāll get that if your stock was good and gelatinous to begin with. I keep mine covered so I donāt get that (or care, but cool!). As far as meat to beans, I think it should be about 2/3 meat. I donāt want a pile of beans. Just some beans. Too many beans and might as well open a can of Bushās.
On second thought, confit that duck. If you can get two or three ducks, eat the breast meat and confit all the legs. Might as well. Itās yummy cold.
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You and @awjt are making me hungry, and I have no reason to eat right now. I came here to ask if anyone has made cochinita pibil, but think Iām going to back off and see how the cassoulet turns out.
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Apparently I have a muscovy the size of a goose coming to me. Arenāt online and offline exchanges great? This guy keeps a raft of ducks, and I get one. I am in no hurry, but musvovies are stronger flavored than Peking, so I think confit, stew (cassolet), and stock are appropriate.
I have never dressed a duck before. The feet should be great for the stock.
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You might consider a partial debone. Keep the legs and thighs intact, but separate the breast from the carcass. Pepin shows with a chicken and the same principles apply:
The problem is you are sacrificing the skin, which is the best part of a good duck. I like to roast em whole, or spatchcock them because of that.
Also, this is the best bean debate thread Iāve found.
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Feathers and guts, feathers and guts.
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So, uhhhhh, howās it hanginā, 'phroaig?
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I have my duck, I have the day off, and Iām headed to the local carniceria for lard, masa, and tecate. This bird, since it is huuuge (it would have been an $80 duck) is going into tamales and cassoleut. And the tecate is going into me.
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I am not religious, but wasting a duck skin (or the fat) is a sin.
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I am gonna waste a lot of skin on this beast. The farm I got it from didnāt have a scalder, so the skin hasā¦ Issues.
#The rein of terror known as Generalissimo Duck has ended!
He is now safely being confited in preparation for tamales. Most of the skin was just not usable, and while he weighed a ton he was a big boned bird.
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So I used:
- One terrifying duck, deboned, degutted, defeathered
- four cloves garlic
- 1.5 tbsp salt
- coarsely chopped onion
- black pepper
- a mild Chile that I canāt pronounce
- basil
- tarragon
- rosemary
- 2 strips of bacon, cause why the hell not. They were taking up room in my fridge.
- 1 lbs of lard
I donāt care for oversalted confit, so if it needs more I can always add more. I plan on cooking on high for an hour, med for ~8 hours, then crisping them up a touch in the morning as I make tamales.
Iāll be straining and saving the fat, it gets better with each use. And I am now totally convinced that while muscovy ducks are cool, if I ever raise any they will be standard pekin.
##Right bastards
##Hoopy froods
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How about Bombay Ducks?
whatās yer angle, fishing for puns?
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