Roast Duck

Duck has an insulating layer of fat which will drain out when cooked in a hot oven. Always have the oven hot!

• Pre-heat oven to 220  C.

• Place duck on a rack in a roasting tray. Ensure the vent end of the duck is open to allow even cooking.

• Season with salt and pepper.

• Roast in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes per kilo.

• To ensure duck is cooked, insert a skewer into the thigh, juices should run clear.

• Remove duck from oven and leave to rest for 20 minutes.

• Joint and serve.

There will be quite a bit of fat in the bottom of the roasting tray – this is good.

Pour into a bowl and leave to cool. The fat will come to the top and the juices will go to the bottom. You can then use the juices to make your sauce and the duck fat can be kept to cook your roasted potatoes.

Cook stuffing separately.

Fruit sauces and duck are marriages made in heaven.

Apricot and Almond Stuffing

This is a great stuffing which stays nice and moist and goes very well with duck.

1 cup dry apricots

½ cup wine vinegar

1 cinnamon stick

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp. chopped parsley

1 tsp. chopped rosemary

1 tsp oil

½ cup flaked almonds

½ cup breadcrumbs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Put the apricots, vinegar and cinnamon stick into a small pan and heat slowly on a low heat until the apricots are moist and the vinegar is absorbed.

• Lightly cook the onion until transparent in the oil, and then add the herbs.

• Discard the cinnamon stick, chop apricots roughly and add to the onions, then add the almonds, breadcrumbs and seasoning, mix well.

• Form into a log in tin foil and cook alongside the duck for 20 to 30 minutes.

• Hint: If you remove the neck from the duck and remove the bone, you can use the neck skin to place the stuffing in.

Christmas Duck Stuffing

Duck is always special! But to make it more so for Christmas, serve it with this lovely stuffing.

1 medium onion, chopped

2 rashers bacon, chopped

100gr pistachio nuts, shelled

100gr pine nuts, roasted

1 tbsp. parsley, chopped

½ tbsp. sage, chopped

½ tbsp. thyme, chopped

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 cup white breadcrumbs

1 egg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• In a suitable pan, cook the bacon for a moment.

• When a little fat appears, add the onion and cook it without colour for a few minutes.

• Mix the nuts, herbs lemon and breadcrumbs together.

• When the onion and bacon are cooked, cool a little, and add them to the other ingredients.

• Add egg and mix it all well together.

• Form into small balls and place on a lightly greased tray and cook for about 20 minutes in a hot oven.

The Sauce

When you have cooked your whole duck this is how you can make a basic sauce using some of the fat and all of the juices from cooking.

• To make the sauce remove the duck from the pan and allow to rest.

• Pour all the fat and juices into a clear jug.

• Pour ½ glass of red wine or dry sherry into the roasting tray and bring to the boil.

• Add about a cup of water and return to the boil. Scrape all the sediment on the bottom of the roasting tray, this is your stock.

• In the jug, the juices will be at the bottom and the fat at the top.

• Take 2 tbsp. of the fat and heat in a small pan, add 2 tbsp. of plain flour and mix well.

• Slowly add the stock, stirring well over a medium heat till all the stock has been added.

• Approximately 400ml makes a good consistency sauce.

• Remove excess fat from the juices in the jug and keep the fat for roasting your potatoes.

• Add the juices to the sauce, taste and season if required, strain and serve.

• Add a couple of tsp. of cranberry sauce to the sauce for a slight sweetness.

• Instead of using water, use orange juice for a quick traditional duck a la orange.

Bread Sauce

1 onion

2 cloves

1 bay leaf

50gr white breadcrumbs, use day old Bread

1 tsp butter

500ml milk

Freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Peel the onion and stud with the cloves and place into a suitable saucepan with the milk and bay leaf

• Bring to the boil, turn off and let the onion infuse the milk for at least one hour.

• Remove the onion and bay leaf and discard.

• Add the crumbs and bring back to the boil. Season with salt and pepper a little nutmeg.

• Remove from heat and dot with butter and leave stand for at least another hour.

• When ready to serve, warm the sauce and serve in a sauceboat.

• If you want to make a little richer, you can stir in a spoonful of thickened cream.

Duck Accompaniments

Just a few ideas to make Duck even more special!

Grilled fruit

Peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries and all other fruits are great to just grill on a hot grill plate, try drizzling a little balsamic vinegar over and allow to stand for 30 minutes before you serve them.

Oranges

Select oranges that are not too big. Peel with a sharp knife and cut in half. Sprinkle with a teaspoon of dark brown sugar and a teaspoonful of Grand Marnier and put into a hot oven or under a hot grill for about 4-5 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of chopped pistachio nuts.

Figs

Using either fresh or dried figs, cut in half and grill on a lightly oiled grill plate. Sprinkle a little almond liqueur and honey and serve with your favourite duck dish.

Apples

Just score a line around the apple’s middle, brush with a little olive oil, sprinkle a little raw sugar on top and bake in a hot oven for about 20-30 minutes. Serve whole.

Cous Cous

Add dry fruits such as Cranberries, raisins, chopped apricots, chopped nuts (such as pistachios) or toasted pine nuts to give a rich and colourful appearance that will go very well with duck.

Asparagus

Snap off the ends, brush or spray with a little olive oil and grill or pan fry until slightly brown and tender. Sprinkle with crunchy sea salt and serve.

Glazed Apple wedges

Simply peel and cut an apple into wedges. Toss it into a hot fry pan with a little butter and caster sugar, turn over and cook until golden.

Poached quince

Peel and chop the quince. Place into a suitable pan with some red wine and water, a couple cloves and a little sugar and bring to the boil. Turn down and allow to poach till the fruit begins to soften but still firm.

Sweet potato mash

Peel the sweet potatoes and place into water and boil with a little salt. When soft, drain well and season with a little salt and pepper and nutmeg. Mash well and add a little cream and butter. Taste for seasoning and serve.

Cranberry apricots

Fill apricots halves with a spoonful of Cranberry Sauce with Rutherglen Muscat and glaze under a hot grill.

Cooking Duck Breast Portions

• Using a sharp knife, score the skin evenly about 4 or 5 times, this allows excess fat from under the skin to escape.

• Heat a suitable oven pan.

• Lightly season the duck portions with a little salt and freshly ground pepper.

• When the pan is hot, place the breasts in skin side down.

• Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the skin begins to brown; turn over and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

• Place into a hot oven 220  C for approximately 8 to 9 minutes.

• When cooked remove from pan and keep warm and allow to rest for about 5 minutes, this will allow the juices to settle.

• The duck breast can be served whole or sliced 3 to 4 times width ways on a 45 degree angle and fanned out onto the serving plate.

• Alternatively, it can be sliced length ways again on an angle, and presented on the serving plate.

• It is possible to serve the duck portions slightly pink, just adjust the cooking time.

• Always serve sauce under the duck.

Duck Confit with Roasted Vegetables

4 duck confit portions

1 large carrot

1 large parsnip

2 celery sticks

1 large onion

1 small wedge pumpkin

2 sprigs thyme

2 tsp. olive oil

Salt and freshly milled pepper

1 cup baby spinach leaves

• Peel and cut vegetables into sticks or wedges and toss them in olive oil.

• Add thyme, place into a oven dish and season with salt and pepper.

• Roast in a hot oven for about 40 minutes until golden brown and cooked.

• Crisp up the duck confit under a grill for 10 minutes or in a hot oven for 30 minutes.

• Place a few raw spinach leaves on a warm plate, add a spoonful of roasted vegetables and place the duck confit on top.

• Serves 4

Breast of Duck with Raspberries

4 duck breast portions

240gr raspberries

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

½ cup wine

½ cup duck stock

Pinch salt

Salt and freshly ground pepper

• Using the tip of a small sharp knife score the skin neatly and evenly about 6 times to allow excess fat to escape.

• Heat a suitable pan.

• Lightly season duck portions with a little salt and ground pepper.

• When pan is hot, place the breasts skin side down and cook for a couple of minutes until skin begins to turn brown, then turn over.

• Place into a hot oven 220  C to 230  C for approximately 8 to 9 minutes.

• When cooked remove from pan and keep warm. This will allow the duck to rest and juices to settle.

• Lightly dab the duck breast with kitchen towel to remove any excess fat.

• If you want the skin crisper. Place under a hot salamander and dab again with kitchen towel.

• Pour off the fat from the pan (keep this for roasting your potatoes).

• Deglaze the pan with red wine vinegar and wine and reduce.

• Reserve a few raspberries for garnish and add the rest to the pan with the sugar and stock. Bring to the boil and reduce down.

• When you are happy with the consistency and taste, strain through a sieve and spoon a portion onto the serving plate.

• Place whole or sliced breast on top of sauce and serve with roasted potatoes.

Medallions of Duck with a Simple Fruit Sauce

This sauce depends on good quality marmalade, preferably one which is a little on the bitter side. Cumquat marmalade is ideal, or a gook quality jam could be substituted.

200ml duck stock

1 tbsp. good marmalade

1 tbsp. chopped parsley

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Sprig of parsley to garnish

20 duck medallions

• Heat the duck stock until boiling.

• When it comes to the boil add marmalade and return to the boil.

• Reduce heat and allow to simmer, until ready to serve.

• Heat a fry pan and smear with a little olive oil.

• When the pan is very hot, place seasoned medallions in the pan and cook for approximately 1 minute on each side.

• Spoon the sauce onto warmed plates and neatly present the medallions on top. Garnish with a sprig of parsley.

Duck with Pasta & Roasted Vegetables

2 duck confit portions

1 large carrot

1 large parsnip

1 celery stick

1 large onion

1 small pumpkin wedge

2 sprigs thyme

2 tsp olive oil

3 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan

500gr penne pasta

1 tbsp. chopped parsley

Salt and freshly milled pepper

• Grill duck confit or cook in hot oven until crisp. Leave to cool so you san shred or cut up.

• Peel and cut vegetables into sticks, toss in olive oil, add thyme and place into and oven dish.

• Roast in a hot oven for about 40 minutes until golden brown.

• Boil the pasta in plenty of boiling water until cooked, drain well.

• Mix pasta with the vegetables and duck. Add parsley, cracked pepper, parmesan and toss well.

• Present with a sprinkle of parsley and a little parmesan.

• Serves 4.

Duck Breast with Cumquats

Cumquats are one of the best little fruits, often misunderstood. Goes with duck like a marriage made in heaven!

Preserved cumquats are available to buy in gourmet food shop.

4 duck breasts

8 preserved cumquats, sliced

½ cup white wine

2 tbsp. cumquat preserving juice

1 tsp. parsley

1 tsp. chives

Seasoning

• Prepare and cook duck breasts, (see Cooking Duck Breast Portions from Duck Recipes No. 2)

• Pour the duck fat into a suitable container and place the pan back on the stove on a high heat. Deglaze the pan with white wine and let it reduce down by half.

• Add cumquat liquid, the cumquats and allow to reduce to a nice syrupy sauce. Add the herbs, and correct to taste.

• Slice duck breasts 2-3 times on an angle and arrange on warmed plates.

• Pour a little of the sauce around and serve.

• This dish would be great served on top of rosti potato.

• Serve 4

Caramelised Pear and Duck Salad

The slight sweetness of pear and freshness of salad makes this a perfect springtime dish.

1 Peking roasted duck breast

2 corella pears

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. seeded mustard

1 tsp. chives, chopped

Mixed salad leaves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

• Slice the duck breast, keeping the slices together, place on a dish and heat under a hot salamander.

• Cut the pears into 8 pieces lengthways, removing the core.

• Allow butter to melt in a suitable pan, add sugar and pears.

• Toss until lightly golden.

• Make a salad dressing with oil, vinegar, mustard and chives. Season with salt and pepper.

• Toss salad leaves with the dressing and place onto a serving plate.

• Add duck slices with four slices of pear. Drizzle with remaining syrup from the pan and serve.