FOR THE DUCK

Mix together the salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, and garlic. Pack the duck legs in the salt mixture, covering them completely, and refrigerate to cure for 6 hours.

Remove the legs from the salt mixture, rinse with cold water to remove the salt, and pat dry with C-fold towels. Remove 2 garlic cloves,

4 thyme sprigs, i bay leaf, and 10 peppercorns from the salt mixture (rinse and dry with C-fold towels) and make into an herb sachet (see page 269). Place in a bag with the duck fat. Add the duck to the bag.

Vacuum-pack on medium.

Cook at 82.2 C (180 F) for 8 hours. Let sit at room temperature until the duck has cooled enough to handle.

Drain the duck. Cut through the joint of each leg to separate the thigh and drumstick. Reserve the drumsticks for another use. Place one thigh meat side up on the work surface. Use a paring knife and your fingers to lift up the thigh bone, and twist the bone to remove it; discard the bone.

Repeat with the remaining thighs. Place the thighs skin side up on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Top with another piece of parchment paper and another sheet pan. Place a medium weight over the top and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (The weight should be enough to compress the duck slightly, to an even thickness.)

To complete: Trim each of the 4 thighs into pieces about 2 by 2 inches.

Heat a film of canola oil in a saute pan. Add the duck skin side down and cook to brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate, skin side up.

FOR THE POTATOES - 85?C 25 minutes

Make 2 herb sachets (see page 269) with the garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Using a cutter, trim the potato slices to make 1' 4-inch rounds. Divide the potatoes between two bags, keeping them in a single layer. Stir a sprinkling of salt into the duck fat, then add half the fat and a sachet to each bag Vacuum-pack on medium.

Cook at 85?C (185 F) for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender.

To complete: Heat about ?? inch of canola oil in a saute pan. Add the potatoes and cook until golden brown, about 4minutes on each side.

Pour off the oil. Add the butter and shallot to the pan and swirl to coat the potatoes. Swirl in parsley to taste.

FOR THE EGGS: Cook the eggs in a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes, and then shock in an ice bath.

FOR THE SALAD: Bring the vinegar and sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan and reduce until the pan is almost dry. With a spoon, stir in the fat to taste to create a broken vinaigrette.

Toss the frisee with a light coating of the vinaigrette.

AT SERVICE: Heat the canola oil to 325'F. Dry the eggs, carefully peel them, then coat in flour, beaten eggs, and, finally, potato starch. Deep-fry the eggs until they are a light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain on C-fold towels.

With a serrated knife, cut off the bottom '4inch of each egg to create a flat surface so the egg will stand upright. Stand each egg on a serving plate and quickly cut down through the middle of the egg. Arrange a piece of the chick on each plate. Sprinkle the eggs with fleur de sel and pepper. Overlap slices of the potatoes around the duck. Drizzle any remaining vinaigrette around the duck. Garnish with frisee salad.