Quick Duck Confit-Inspired Legs with Cherry Sauce

Prepare the Duck

1. 1Pat the pre-made duck confit legs completely dry with paper towels. This is crucial for achieving crispy skin.
2. 2Heat a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the duck confit legs, skin-side down. Sear for 5-7 minutes, or until the skin is deeply golden brown and crisp.
3. 3Flip the duck legs and sear the other side for 2-3 minutes. Remove the duck legs from the skillet and set aside on a plate, skin-side up.

Make the Cherry Sauce

1. 1Pour off most of the rendered duck fat from the skillet, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Return the skillet to medium heat.
2. 2Add the minced shallots to the skillet and sauté until softened, about 2-3 minutes.
3. 3Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the skillet to deglaze, loosening any browned bits. Let the wine simmer and reduce by half, about 3-5 minutes.
4. 4Add the pitted cherries and thyme leaves to the skillet. Stir to combine.
5. 5Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the cherries have softened and released their juices, and the sauce has slightly thickened. Stir in the butter until melted and incorporated.
6. 6Season the cherry sauce with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Assemble and Serve

1. 1Return the seared duck confit legs to the skillet, nestling them into the cherry sauce. Spoon some of the sauce and cherries over the duck.
2. 2Simmer gently for 5-10 minutes, or until the duck is heated through. If your skillet is not oven-safe, you can transfer the duck and sauce to a small baking dish to heat through in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about same amount of time.
3. 3Serve the duck confit legs immediately, spooning the warm cherry sauce and cherries over the top.