Recipes

Christmas Duck with Cranberry, Orange and Rosemary Stuffing

A wonderful alternative to turkey for Christmas

Method

FOR THE STUFFING
Melt the butter in a pot over a medium heat and add the onion and garlic.  Cook until the onion becomes transparent and soft but not taking any colour.  Add the cranberries and orange zest then add the breadcrumbs.   Stir so the bread absorbs all the excess butter and is well mixed.  Add the wine and stock, salt, pepper and rosemary.  Cook until all liquid has been absorbed.  Set aside to stuff the duck

FOR THE DUCK
Preheat oven to 200°C.  You will need a roasting tray with a rack inside

Remove the gibb pack from the centre of the duck and set aside (this can be used to make a gravy or discarded)

Rinse the duck with cold water, including the inside cavity and pat dry with paper towels

Place the duck on the rack and season with salt and pepper, rub the salt and pepper in a little

Fill the centre cavity with your previously made stuffing until it just reaches the opening and pinch closed

Place in the preheated oven for approx. 2 hours (20 min per 500g plus 20 min over, allowing for extra weight of the stuffing)

15 minutes before the end of your cooking time, melt the marmalade and water together in a microwave until it becomes runny.

Remove the duck from the oven and pour off fat from the bottom of the tin (save this fat for your roast potatoes) brush skin with the melted marmalade.  Return to the oven for the remaining time.

When ready, remove duck from the oven, check that the juices run clear.  Cover the duck with tin foil and then a clean tea towel and allow duck to rest for 10 to 15 min before carving.

SAUCE SUGGESTIONS
Port and Redcurrant reduction

For a very simple sauce to go with your glazed duck, add 2tbsp of red currant jelly and 2tbsp of marmalade to 250ml of port and reduce on a gentle simmer until it just becomes syrupy.

 

Ingredients

FOR THE DUCK
1 - 2kg Silver Sill oven ready duck
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp -  Marmalade
2 tbsp  - Water

FOR THE STUFFING
100g - Butter
200g - Bread Crumbs
1 -  Small Onion Chopped
Zest and juice of half an orange
2 - Clove of Garlic
100g - Dried Cranberries
Half glass - Wine
¼ pint - Chicken Ctock
Handful of Fresh Rosemary Chopped or Pinch of Dried Rosemary
Salt and pepper