Ail Ou Echalotes Confits (Garlic Or Shallot Confit) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 heads garlic (or 12 shallots or a dozen or so pearl onions)
2 cups duck fat, rendered (or see above)
1 teaspoon quatre-epices (recipe is posted separately)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Preparation

Peel the garlic and remove any green sprouts. If using shallots or onions, trim both ends before peeling.
Heat the fat in a small saucepan over medium flame.
When the fat is warm (not hot--you are not frying the garlic), add the garlic (or shallots or onions), the quatre epices and the pepper.
Cook until soft, about 20 minutes for garlic, 30 minutes for shallots or onions.
Remove them from the fat with a slotted spoon and cool on paper towels.
If not used immediately, they can refrigerated in a small container for several days--but do not cover them with fat.
Serves 6 as a garnish.