North Croatian Roasted Duck Food

NORTH CROATIAN ROASTED DUCK

Steps:

• Clean the duck and salt only from inside 2-3 hours before roasting. Add one tablespoon of marjoram inside the duck to cover inside meat.
• Heat oven to 250°C If there is enough fat inside duck, remove this fat and melt it separately in small pot; add lard. Heat lard and pour over duck's skin (that way we close pores on skin).
• Immediately put the duck into hot oven, roast 20 minutes on 250°C and than reduce heat to 180°C Last 20 minutes roast again on 200°C
• Duck weight 2500 g need about 120 minutes roasting.
• Start cutting the duck after 15 minutes resting outside. Use this time to remove fat drippings you will need for "mlinci".

CHINATOWN STEAMED AND ROASTED DUCK

Steps:

• Duck is notoriously a fatty bird, to diminish the fat and produce a crispy skin, begin by trimming the excess fat from the neck and body. Rinse the duck, inside and out, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Combine the Chinese five-spice, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the duck, inside and out. Salt and five-spice powder makes a fragrant dry marinade, which draws some of the moisture from the duck so that the spices penetrate. Stuff the duck cavity with the aromatics: the ginger, garlic, green onions, and tangerine peel. Fold the wing tips back under the duck and tie the legs together with kitchen string. Poke the duck breast a few times, piercing the skin.
• Place a roasting pan on the stovetop over 2 burners and fill with 2-inches of water, turn the heat to medium. Set a V-rack insert inside the pan and lay the duck on the rack, breast-side up. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Steam the duck for 45 minutes, checking the water level periodically. Steaming the duck first melts away some of the fat and shrinks the skin.
• In a small saucepan combine the vinegar, honey, and soy sauce over low heat. Cook and stir for 5 minutes until thick. The duck will be lacquered with the sweet glaze, which caramelizes during roasting, making the skin crisp and brown.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Take the foil off the duck, remove the rack with the duck, and pour out the water and all the fat that has rendered out (this is great to use in other dishes like fried rice.) Put the rack with the duck back inside the roasting pan. Baste the duck with the vinegar mixture, until all the skin is completely coated in the glaze. Stick the whole thing in the oven. Roast the duck for 1 hour, basting periodically with any remaining glaze to set in a deep mahogany color. Tent the breast with some foil if it gets too dark. The legs will wiggle easily when it's done. Carve and serve.

NORTH CROATIAN BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW (BUCE CUSPAJZ)

Steps:

• Cut butternut squash into stripes like thick spaghetti (we buy it usually already cut on the market).
• Salt it and add vinegar and leave it stay for 60 minutes. It must start to leave juices.
• Melt lard and add finely minced onion. Sauté onions until translucent, add flour, stir it until brownish; add cold water and make creamy liquid.
• Add red paprika and some more water.
• Squeeze squash with hands to remove water from it and than add into a pot. Stir it and add some fresh water to cover it.
• Cook gently (it can easily burn) until butternut squash is soft. Before serving add minced dill and sour cream. Serve with pork schnitzels and potato.

ROASTED RASPBERRY DUCK

Steps:

• Wash and pat the duck dry.
• Sprinkle some kosher salt inside the duck and rub it in a little.
• Place the duck on the rotisserie.
• Add the mashed garlic, sprigs of rosemary and the olive oil in the drip pan of the rotisserie.
• Set your rotisserie for 1 1/2 hours, basting the duck every 20 minutes or so.
• Take the raspberries and sprinkle the Grand Marnier over them and set aside.
• When the duck is done, set to the side for 5 minutes or so.
• In a large non-stick skillet add the butter and brown sugar; heat on medium high. Once the mixture is bubbling, add the raspberries and mash them around a little until they're hot. Pull from the heat.
• Cut the duck up. Plate and then drizzle some raspberry sauce over it.