Duck a l'orange

Roast Duck is a lovely alternative to the Traditional Turkey Christmas lunch especially if there's only 3 or 4 of you at the table. It's a wonderful dinner party dish too using duck breasts instead of the whole bird.

I love to serve this with potatoes roasted in duck or goose fat to make them so crispy and tasty. The usual sprouts, carrots, parsnips & peas would be a fantastic selection of  side dishes to accompany the duckling.  

 To serve 4

a large Gressingham Duckling approx 4-5lbs 

The juice of 4 large oranges. for the sauce

2 oranges chopped into quarters to fill the cavity

2  oranges segmented. Keep the zest and cut into small slivers

2/3 cup soft brown sugar

1 1/2 cups good chicken or better still duck stock

2 tbsp of cornflour dissolved in 2 tbsp water

4 tbsp of Grand Marnier or Brandy

seasoning to taste

 

Turn on the oven and heat to 240c/ 475f/gas 9
Place the 2 quartered oranges into the cavity of the duck
Prick the duck all over with a fork, place on a trivet and roast for approx half an hour
Turn the oven down to 150c/300f/ Gas 2.and roast on for around an hour. The skin should be golden & crispy.
Test by making a small insert between the breast & leg. The juices should be clear.
If you have a thermometer insert it into the cavity it should have reached 170f

While to duck is roasting, place the orange juice,  zest and sugar in a pan and reduce by half over a medium heat
Add the hot stock to reduced orange and simmer for 10 minutes to reduce.
Thicken with the cornflour & water.
Remove duck from roasting pan
Discard the fat from pan. and take out the quartered oranges from the cavity
Leave it to rest for 15 minutes,  .
Add the brandy/Grand Marnier to the roasting tray scraping up all the bits from the bottom
Reduce slightly, pour in the orange & stock and simmer gently for around 10 minutes adding the segmented oranges right at the end to heat through.
Place on a large platter, spoon over the gravy and segmented oranges and decorate with a little greenery such as watercress or parsley sprigs.