Grillons or Duck Scratchings with Demonstration Video
The morsels of skin will gradually become crisp and golden as the fat renders. In France these are called grillons and are sprinkled over salads. We call them duck scratchings and sprinkle them with sea salt and nibble them with drinks or add them to White Soda Scones (see recipe). When all the liquid fat has rendered out, pour it into glass jars or earthenware crocks. Cover and store in the fridge. Use in duck rillettes (see recipe) or to cook roast potatoes. Duck fat keeps for about six months.
The use of duck (or goose) fat, lard or dripping has fallen out of favour completely during the last 30 to 40 years as the paranoia around low-fat eating gathered momentum. Now, thanks in great part to some celebrity chefs, people realise that it is in some ways healthier and has markedly better flavour than most of the cooking oils that were lauded as an alternative for many years. Now the demand for duck fat is so enormous that shops regularly sell out and customers at our stall in Midleton Farmers’ Market can’t get enough of it.
Forgotten Skills Book
