Roast Duck With Orange Pineapple Food

DUCK A L'ORANGE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 210C/400F/Gas 6½. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin off the half orange in wide strips. Place a stack of three strips on top of each other and trim the sides. Cut the strips into very thin julienne strips. Set aside.
• Prick the duck skin all over with the tip of a skewer to help release the fat. Don't prick too deeply. Place on a rack set inside a sturdy, medium roasting tin. Place the orange half inside the duck, pushing towards the neck end to help support the breast. Add the bay leaves and onion wedges. Season the duck with the salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 45 minutes.
• Take the duck out of the oven and carefully take the rack off the roasting tin using oven gloves to hold it. Tip any fat that has collected in the tin into a heatproof bowl. (Cool, then keep in a pot in the fridge and use for roast or sautéed potatoes.) Place the rack back into the tin and return the duck to the oven for a further 35-45 minutes, or until the skin is golden-brown and crisp.
• Remove the duck from the oven and wiggle one of its legs. If the duck is ready, the leg will be fairly loose and easy to wiggle. If not, return the duck to the oven for a further 10 minutes, or until cooked. Transfer to a board or warmed serving platter. Cover very loosely with foil and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
• While the duck is resting, make the sauce. Drain all but one tablespoon of the duck fat from the roasting tin into the heatproof bowl with the rest. Return the tin to the hob and add the onion. Fry over a medium heat for five minutes, stirring regularly until beginning to soften and colour.
• Pour the orange liqueur and wine into the pan with the softening onion and allow to bubble for a few seconds. Add the orange juice and 150ml/5fl oz cold water and simmer together for about two minutes, stirring to lift any of the meat sediment from the bottom of the tin. Carefully strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a small non-stick saucepan.
• Stir the reserved julienne orange strips and marmalade into the jus and bring to a simmer. Mix the cornflour with one tablespoon of cold water in a small bowl until smooth. Stir it into the orange sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes more, stirring regularly until the sauce is thickened and glossy. Pour any juices that have collected from the resting duck into the sauce and simmer for a few seconds, stirring. Pour into a warmed jug. Carve the duck at the table with an onion wedge for each person, pour a little of the sauce over and serve the rest separately.

ROAST DUCK

Steps:

• Unwrap the ducks and allow them to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. With a fork, prick the skin without piercing the meat. This will allow the fat to drain off while the ducks cook.
• Meanwhile, in a very large stock pot which can hold the 2 ducks, heat the chicken broth with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt until it boils. Add the ducks very carefully and bring the stock back to a boil. If there isn't enough stock to cover the ducks, add the hottest tap water to cover. If the ducks float to the top, place a plate on top to keep them immersed. When the stock comes back to a boil, lower the heat and simmer the ducks in the stock for 45 minutes.
• When the ducks are finished simmering, skim off enough duck fat from the top of the stock to pour a film on the bottom of a 14 by 18 by 3-inch roasting pan. This will keep the ducks from sticking when they roast. Carefully take the ducks out of the stock, holding them over the pot to drain. Place them in the roasting pan, pat the skin dry with paper towels, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and the pepper. If you have time, allow the ducks to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the skin to dry.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. (Be sure your oven is very clean or it will smoke!) Roast the ducks for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow them to rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

ORANGE-STUFFED CHRISTMAS DUCK

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Put the duck on a rack set over a roasting tin and prick the skin all over with a skewer. Season well. Halve one of the oranges and squeeze some of the juice into the duck cavity and the tin, then stuff the cavity with both of the halves. Pour 100ml water into the tin and roast for 20 mins per 500g (about 50 mins). Turn the oven up to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7 and roast for another 20 mins until the duck skin is crispy and golden.
• Put a small pan of water on to boil. Using a peeler, pare the zest from the remaining orange. Scrape any pith off the zest using a small, sharp knife. Add the zest to the water and gently boil for 8-10 mins, then drain, slice thinly into strips and set aside. In the same pan, dissolve the brown sugar with the balsamic vinegar. Cut the pared orange in half, juice it and pour the juice into the pan. Add the Grand Marnier and 1 tsp butter. Bubble until it has reduced by half and is dark and syrupy. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange zest.
• Once the duck is cooked, wrap it in foil to keep warm and put it on a board to rest. Spoon off the fat from the roasting tin and discard. Pour any remaining duck juices into a wide, shallow saucepan. Tip in the stock and bring to the boil. Add the wine and simmer for 2-3 mins, then add half the orange sauce and stir well. In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with 2 tsp cold water, then stir into the gravy. Season, add 1 tsp butter and whisk together. Pour into a warm gravy jug.
• To serve, brush the remaining sticky orange glaze over the duck, then put the duck on a board and garnish with the watercress. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add 1 tsp butter. Once the butter has melted, tip in the spinach and cook for 1-2 mins until it has wilted. Season and tip into a warm serving dish.

ROAST DUCK WITH ORANGE AND GINGER

Steps:

• Rinse duck and pat dry. Remove neck and giblets and save for another purpose. Remove excess fat from cavity and tail area and trim off a bit of flappy neck skin. Prick duck skin all over with tip of sharp paring knife, making sure not to penetrate meat.
• Mix together salt and 5-spice powder. Season interior of duck with 1 tablespoon salt mixture; use remainder to generously season exterior (you may have a little left over). Combine orange zest with grated ginger and garlic, then smear mixture inside cavity. Place orange wedges in cavity. Tie legs together. Secure neck flap with wooden skewer or toothpicks. Place duck on rack in roasting pan breast-side-up and refrigerate overnight, uncovered.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, bring duck to room temperature and make the glaze: Bring orange juice, honey, sugar and soy sauce to a simmer. Add sliced ginger and star anise, then reduce mixture until you have a medium-thick syrup, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Roast duck for 2 hours, carefully pouring off fat and turning duck over every 30 minutes. Paint with glaze and roast another 30 minutes (2 1/2 hours in all). Tent with foil if glaze begins to get too dark. Duck is done when temperature at thickest part of leg reads 165 degrees. Paint duck once more, keep warm and let rest 20 minutes. Use poultry shears to cut into quarters (remove backbone first) or carve in the traditional way, removing legs from carcass and slicing breast. Serve with mashed butternut squash if desired.

ROAST DUCK WITH ORANGE & PINEAPPLE

Steps:

• Peel the oranges and shred the rind. Set aside. Quarter the oranges and mix with pineapple, tarragon, and 2 chopped garlic cloves. Use mixture to stuff both ducks. Place ducks on rack in shallow baking pan and roast in slow oven (325°F) for 2 1/2 hours or until done. Meanwhile, sauté duck livers in butter for 10 minutes. Heat brandy, light it, and pour over livers. When flame dies, remove livers, chop and keep warm. To the sauce remaining in skillet, add shredded orange rind and 1 minced garlic clove and cook for 5 minutes. Combine Marsala and bouillon with tomato paste, jelly, potato flour, salt, and pepper. Add to sauce and cook, stirring constantly, until smooth. Add livers and simmer for 15 minutes. Pour into sauce boat, serve with duck.

DUCK A L'ORANGE

Steps:

• Roast duck:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 475°F.
• Stir together salt, coriander, cumin, and pepper. Pat duck dry and sprinkle inside and out with spice mixture. Cut 1 half of orange into quarters and put in duck cavity with thyme, marjoram, parsley, and 4 onion wedges.
• Squeeze juice from remaining half of orange and stir together with wine and stock. Set aside.
• Spread remaining 4 onion wedges in roasting pan with carrot and celery, then place duck on top of vegetables and roast 30 minutes.
• Pour wine mixture into roasting pan and reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Continue to roast duck until thermometer inserted into a thigh (close to but not touching bone) registers 170°F, 1 to 1 1/4 hours more. Turn on broiler and broil duck 3 to 4 inches from heat until top is golden brown, about 3 minutes.
• Tilt duck to drain juices from cavity into pan and transfer duck to a cutting board, reserving juices in pan. Let duck stand 15 minutes.
• Make sauce:
• While duck roasts, cook sugar in a dry 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until sugar melts into a deep golden caramel. Add orange juice, vinegar, and salt (use caution; mixture will bubble and steam vigorously) and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramel is dissolved. Remove syrup from heat.
• Discard vegetables from roasting pan and pour pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a 1-quart glass measure or bowl, then skim off and discard fat. Add enough stock to pan juices to total 1 cup liquid.
• Stir together butter and flour to form a beurre manié. Bring pan juices to a simmer in a 1- to 2-quart heavy saucepan, then add beurre manié, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add orange syrup and zest and simmer, whisking occasionally, until sauce is thickened slightly and zest is tender, about 5 minutes. Serve with duck.
• Available at D'Artagnan (800-327-8246).