Salade Verte aux Gésiers Confits

Sunday dinner was a special meal in my childhood. During the years of WWII meat was rationed, a pound of hamburger could make two meals for our family of four and meatless meals were a necessity, not something chosen for health or ethical reasons. But Sunday dinner was different, always meat and often chicken from the flock that my grandmother kept. Our extended family would gather and enjoy a huge meal of chicken, mashed potatoes, vegetables, hot rolls and fruit pie or chocolate cake. My cousin Francis, my brother and I, always vied for the gizzard. It was our favorite part of the bird.
I had forgotten about my love of gizzards until I traveled in France ten years ago. I ordered a salad without knowing what I was getting. It was topped with sauteed gizzards. I’d never forgotten it but never tried to replicate it. Last week, once again in France, I was delighted to find Salade Verte aux Gésiers Confits on a menu. It was delicious, several different greens, tiny fresh haricot verte (green beans) and warm gizzards topped with a simple vinaigrette.

A few days later we boarded the barge Merganser II for a six day canal trip in the Champagne countryside. The description of the trip showed photos of wonderful looking French food, it helped us decide on that trip. Efren, the young Spanish chef served our first meal aboard. It was Confit de Canard. Leg of duck so moist and tender and flavorful that I knew we had chosen our trip well. All the meals that we enjoyed aboard the barge were exceptional but the duck was the highlight for me. The night before we departed for home Efren gave me a tutorial on preparing confit de canard or any other kind of meat. I can’t wait to try it.