I have noticed a trend over the last couple of years, this is possibly because one’s friends children are all of an age where they are married and not always coming home for the holidays so smaller Christmas dishes are needed instead of a great big turkey for the more intimate Christmas Day lunch. This duck dish is perfect because you can do it all in advance giving you the luxury of opening up an Acme 210.5 silver whistle, Ruffwear dog boots, a Musto Whisper jacket and a Lejuene Labrador with a chrome pheasant in its’ mouth car mascot (just like HM The Queen’s) by a roaring fire and a beautifully trimmed Christmas tree. Happy Christmas!
Roasted Wild duck with Orange glaze and Watercress
Serves 4
2 wild duck or a 2.3kg Oven-ready Duck, dry plucked if possible
50ml Brandy
1 organic orange
Sprig of thyme
Salt and pepper
Sauce:
3-4 tbsp caster sugar
100ml Grand Marnier
100ml orange juice
Salt and pepper
Meat juices from tin
You can prepare the ducks the day before and reheat if you wish that’s what I tend to do.
Put the ducks into a colander and pour over a kettle full of boiling water, this helps to start the fat loosen. Drain it and dry it with kitchen paper really well inside and out. Brush the ducks with the plum brandy, alcohol helps to dry out the skin giving you a crispier finish.
Hang the ducks up by the wings with a plate underneath in a place where a) it won’t be attacked by the cat and b) there is a cool breeze, the air helps to keep the ducks really dry. If you don’t have anywhere like this put it uncovered into the fridge. This can all be done 1 day in advance. But must be left hanging for a minimum of 6 hours.
When you are ready to cook the ducks, put a grill rack into a roasting tin. Peel the orange and cut the flesh in half. Season the inside of the duck with salt and pepper and stuff in the orange peel and flesh and thyme. Put the ducks on to the grill rack and prick the skin with a fork. Brush on the brandy. Slide the tin into a pre-heated oven 180c, and cook for 1-1 ¼ hours, or until the duck is cooked and the skin is super crispy. If you are cooking one larger duck it may take 2 hours in the oven. Drain the fat about every 30 minutes or so and reserve for roast potatoes!
When the duck has finished cooking, remove it from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes. Then cut it into 6 pieces- cut off each breast and cut in two then remove the legs. Do not throw out the tin juices or clean the tin.
Put the duck pieces in to a shallow dish and add 2-3 tbsp of chicken or duck stock. Set aside.
Make the sauce:
In the same tin as the duck was cooked in, add the sugar and bubble for minutes or so to colour and dissolve. Add the Grand Marnier and cook for another minutes then add the orange juice and meat juices. Bubble for another 2-3 minutes. Taste it may need salt but it will be very sweet. Pour into a bowl.* up to this point all, the cooking of the duck and sauce can be done 1 day in advance.
When you are ready to serve the duck, spoon over the sauce- about a tablespoon of it onto each piece of duck. Put the duck back into the oven for 10 minutes. Serve with watercress and orange salad and some crispy sautéed potatoes.