meat juices (salarque) that may seep from duck during ripening process from turning sour. Examine cooked duck pieces. Bones may have come loose from some pieces; if so, use loose bones to make crisscross platform on bottom of one or all vessels. Reheat fat. Ladle bubbling clear top fat through finemesh strainer into each container; be sure not to use the more perishable cloudy fat and meat juices at the bottom (see Note 5). Fill about halfway, slip in stillwarm confit pieces without crowding. Ladle in additional clear fat as necessary to cover confit and leave a generous inch of air space between surface of fat and rim of vessel. Rap containers gently on work surface to tamp out any air pockets. Let cool, uncovered, to room temperature. Store, covered, overnight in refrigerator or in cold cellar or other cool storage area. 12. THE NEXT DAY: Seal confit by spooning a 1inch layer of melted lard over surface; since lard is more impenetrable to air than duck fat, this protects against spoilage. (Amount of lard necessary will vary with dimensions of your vessels.) Cover with kitchen parchment secured with rubber band; this is sufficient protection with or without lid placed on top. Store in refrigerator. Do not freeze; freezing inhibits the ripening process and dries out the meat. NOTES : Courtesy Paula Wolfert, from her book, The Cooking of Southwest France (Harper Row) Recipe by: MEDITERRANEAN MARIO #ME1A20 Posted to MC-Recipe Digest by Sue on Feb 12, 1998