Frog Leg Confit with Peach and Mango Salsa

Trying new things is always fun, so when this week’s theme of confit came up, I decided to try frog legs for the first time. Confit is a preservation technique using rendered fat to slowly cook meat. Typically you would use the fat of whatever meat you were preserving, but this wouldn’t really work in this case.

I have to admit I wasn’t a fan of this. It’s not that the recipe is necessarily not working, I just wasn’t a fan of frog legs. They’re not offensive in any way, but they taste like a combinating of fish and chicken, which isn’t really something I’ve been missing all my life.  That, and they were pretty expensive, especially considering the taste.

This is really just my personal preference (or lack thereof), so don’t let this dissuade you from giving frog a chance.

Frog Leg Confit:

Frog legs (I made 1 lb [4 legs] – good for 2 servings)

Duck fat

Rosemary sprig

Garlic clove

Bay leaf

Flour

Egg

Panko bread crumbs

Canola oil

Preheat oven to 275°F. Place the frog legs in a oven safe dish with decently high sides. Pour in melted duck fat to cover the frog legs by 1”. Add in sprig of rosemary, garlic, and bay leaf. Cover the dish with aluminum foil, and place in the oven. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender but not falling off the bone.

Remove the legs from the fat and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. You can do this part the night before.

When you are ready to cook the legs, pour enough canola oil into a dutch oven to cover the legs by at least 1”. Heat the oil to 375°F.

Make a breading station by placing flour on a plate, a beaten egg and 1 tbsp of water in a dish, and some panko bread crumbs on a plate. Coat the frog legs with flour, then shake off the excess. Coat the leg with the egg wash, then the panko, shaking off any excess. Repeat with remaining pieces.

Fry the legs for about 2 minutes, until the breading is golden brown. Serve with salsa, arugula, radishes and red-leaf romaine.

Mango-Peach Salsa:
1 very large mango, diced

4 medium peaches, diced

3 small jalapeno peppers, deseeded and diced

¼ cup chopped cilantro

2 shallots, diced

Lime juice

Salt

Cut everything up that needs to be cut and add to a bowl. Season with lime juice and salt. Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving to let the flavors blend together.