Roasted Duck with Hunter's Cranberry Sauce
A lovely winter recipe when cranberries and oranges are readily available. This is not cranberry sauce, as you know it from Thanksgiving. The rich duck stock adds a deep dimension. There is little meat on a duck, and feeding four depends on accompanying dishes. However, you can easily provide 6 people with two plump ducks as the centerpiece.
Yield 6 servings
Ingredients
2 ducks, 4 to 5 pounds each
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 orange, halved
Sauce:
duck giblets and necks
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
3 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 cups red wine
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon thyme
6 sprigs parsley
3 cups fresh cranberries
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2/3 cup sugar
| 1 | Preheat oven to 450°F. |
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| 2 | Trim excess skin and fat from duck cavities, making sure to get fat glands inside the neck cavity and thighs (most store-bought ducks have had these glands removed). Pierce duck all over with a fork, especially on fatty sides. Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Stuff 1/2 orange in each body cavity. |
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| 3 | Place ducks on rack in roasting pan and place in oven. Immediately reduce heat to 350°F and roast 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. |
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| 4 | Prepare sauce: Heat oil in a large saucepan, add giblets, onions, celery, carrot, and garlic. Sauté until vegetables begin to color. Add 1 cup of the wine to deglaze, stirring up any bits that may have stuck to pot. Add water, thyme, parsley, neck, and a bit of salt and pepper. Simmer this stock for 1 hour. Strain into a clean pan. |
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| 5 | Add remaining cup of wine, cranberries, vinegar, and sugar to strained stock. Cook over medium-high heat until berries pop. Lower heat and simmer until thickened. Remove from heat. The sauce can be made to this point up to a day in advance and stored in a refrigerator until needed to finish sauce. Bring to a low simmer before adding pan juices. |
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| 6 | When ducks are finished, transfer from roasting pan to a carving board. Remove oranges. Pour off fat from pan, or use a fat separator, then strain pan juices into sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. |
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| 7 | Cut each duck into quarters and place on a serving platter. Dress with a bit of sauce and pass additional sauce at the table. |
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notes
Goes well with wild or Basmati rice.
