Roast Duck with Garlic and Honey

(picture)

Equipment:

Ingredients:

• 1 Long Island Duck, whole
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 3/4 cup orange or tangerine juice, fresh, save the peels
• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 cups red onions, medium dice
• 1 cup parsnips, large dice
• 1 cup turnips, large dice
• 2 cups carrots, large dice
• 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tsp. thyme, chopped
• 1 tsp. black pepper

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F
2. Rinse the duck inside and out with cold water, reserving the neck and liver. Trim the excess fat and skin.
3. Pat dry and make 8 incisions in the duck breast and thighs, inserting a garlic clove into each incision. Prick the duck skin all over with a fork, but don’t pierce the meat.
4. Rub the duck inside and out with orange and tangerine peels.
5. Truss the duck and place breast side down on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes.
6. Turn duck breast side up and baste with fat; reduce heat to 350F and continue roasting and basting occasionally until desired doneness is achieved
7. Heat 1 1/2 tbsp. butter over medium-low heat, add the onions, and cook until they begin to soften
8. Add duck liver and cook. Remove and cut liver into large dice, then return to pan with onions
9. Add parsnips, turnips, and carrots; cook 1 minute
10. Add the remaining butter and 1/2 cup orange juice. Cook until just tender and liquid is almost gone
11. While duck is roasting, make the sauce base. Bring the duck neck, remaining orange juice, wine, honey, thyme, and 1 tsp pepper to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes
12. When duck is cooked, remove and let rest 10 minutes
13. Pour the fat and juices into a container. Let rest until the clear yellow fat separates and rises to the top. Pour or skim off the yellow fat and pour pan juices back into roasting pan
14. Return pan to heat and add sauce base. Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce to sauce consistency and pour into a sauceboat.
15. Carve the duck and serve with the vegetable mixture and sauce.

Roasted Potatoes and Pearl Onions

(picture)

Equipment:

Ingredients:

• 12 red potatoes
• 12 pearl onions, peeled
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• black pepper, to taste
• 4 thyme sprigs

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Starting at the top of each potato, pare away a 1/4 inch thick band of skin in a spiral.
3. Combine the onions and potatoes in a baking dish just large enough to hold them.
4. Add the butter and vinegar, and toss to coat.
5. Add salt and pepper. Bury the thyme sprigs in the vegetables.
6. Bake for 1 hour or until tender, stirring the vegetables every 15 minutes

Eric