Duck Leg Confit - Lettuce Entertain You

Ingredients

• 6 duck legs*
• ¾ cup Kosher Salt
• 2 ground bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp ground peppercorn
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 6 cups rendered duck fat*
• pinch of espelette pepper (save for serving)
• freshly picked thyme for garnish (save for serving)
• 3 Tbsp duck fat
• 1 ½ cup fennel, small dice
• ¾ cup onion, small dice
• ¾ cup white wine
• 2 qt chicken stock
• 1 qt northern white beans, 1 cup dry beans previously soaked for 24 hours, or at least overnight
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp black peppercorn, whole
• 1 ½ qt dried apricots, chopped in half
• 1 tbsp mustard seed
• 8 cups water
• ½ qt sherry vinegar
• ½ qt champagne vinegar
• 1 qt sugar