Definition of "confit" [con•fit]

• Meat, such as duck, that has been salted and then cooked and preserved in its own fat. (noun)
• A condiment made by cooking seasoned fruit or vegetables, usually to a jamlike consistency. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "In modern usage of the term confit, the connotations of immersion, impregnation, flavoring, and slow, deliberate preparation survive, while the idea of preservation—and the special flavors that develop over weeks and months—has faded away."
• "These days the word confit is used loosely to describe just about anything cooked slowly and gently to a rich, succulent consistency: onions in olive oil, for example, or shrimp cooked and stored under clarified butter."
• "Whether leftover roasted duck or store-bought or homemade confit is used, the green salsa, with the slight tartness of tomatillos, is a perfect foil for the rich flavor of duck."