Recipe: Duck a l’orange with roast red onions
SERVES 4
- 1 x 2kg Gressingham duck untrussed
- sea salt and black pepper
- 150ml blood orange juice
- 250ml chicken stock or home-made giblet stock
To serve
- watercress and sautéed potatoes optional
- Preheat the oven to 230C/210C fan/gas 8. Pat the duck dry using kitchen paper, prick all over using the tip of a sharp knife and season a little more generously than usual with salt, rubbing it into the skin. Place it breast-down on a roasting rack within a large roasting tray and roast for 1 hour without basting. Now drain off the fat in the roasting tin, reserving it for later – you may find it easiest to transfer the duck and rack to a plate first. Turn the duck breast-up and continue roasting for 45 minutes more.
- At the end of roasting, place the duck on the rack over a large plate, tipping any juices inside into the pan, and leave to rest for 15 minutes. Drain the excess fat off the roasting tray, add the orange juice and simmer to reduce by about half, scraping up all the residue. Add the stock and continue to simmer until nice and rich, then taste for seasoning. Carve the duck and serve with the gravy, roasted onions (see below), some watercress and, if wished, potatoes sautéed in a little of the saved duck fat.
FOR THE ROAST RED ONIONS Peel 4 red onions and cut into wedges. Slice 2 blood oranges, discarding the ends. Arrange the onions and orange slices in a large roasting pan with 1 or 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise and 2 to 4 bay leaves. When the duck has been cooking for 1 hour, at the same time as draining the fat, drizzle 3 tbsp over the onions and roast for 55-60 minutes, stirring halfway through. Discard the spices on serving and, if wished, the orange slices.
First published in YOU, Mail on Sunday
