Crispy Orange Duck

A lot of people would say this week’s recipe is a tad unconventional, but let’s back track a 100 years and Duck was a regular on almost all family menus. Yes duck is usually associated with Asian food, but keep in mind that it’s just a bird, that’s great for you and it roasts up perfectly. I love making a whole duck for family, the skin is phenomenally crispy and the honey and orange glaze is a match made in heaven. Duck meat can be very lean is quite healthy for you. Duck is such an underestimated and underused product, which should be celebrated more. I know exactly what you’re thinking: What? Where will you be able to buy duck? And this is going to be a difficult recipe! NOT TRUE!! If you have been visiting the farmers market at Rainhill Farm the last weekend of every month you most definitely would have run into Elsa the duck lady from E-Duck Farms. She breeds and butchers all her own duck’s and makes all her own duck products. She has a selection of Duck Fat, Duck Confit, Duck Sausages, Foie Gras and many more. You can contact her on 0820450482 and believe me it doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg to get the whole duck, she has very reasonable prices and for the quality you get it’s a steal. Here is my recipe for Crispy Orange & Honey Glazed Duck, perfect for your Sunday Roasts.

You’ll need:

1 x Free Range Duck – between 1.5kg – 2kg

2Tbsp of Ground Five Spice

3Tbsp of Oyster Sauce

2Tbsp of Orange Zest

Salt & Pepper

For The Glaze:

4Tbsp of Honey

2Tbsp of Dark Soy

200ml Orange Juice – freshly squeezed

Method:

Wash the duck well outside and inside. Pat dry with kitchen paper. In a mixing bowl mix together the five spice, oyster sauce, orange zest and seasoning. Rub this all over the duck and on the inside. Leave for 30min so the duck can absorb the flavours. Place the duck in a colander in the sink and pour an entire kettle of boiling water over the duck. Pat dry and repeat this 5 more times, patting dry with kitchen paper after every kettle of water. So in total it will be six times (this is what will give you the perfect crispy skin, shocking it with the hot water). Then give the duck another rub with the spice mixture. In a small saucepan place all the glaze ingredients and bring to a boil and reduce to a sticky syrup. Brush this glaze over the duck and on the inside. Take a meat hook and hang the duck in a cool place for 4 – 5 hours, not in the fridge. Pre-heat the oven to 230C, brush the duck again with the glaze and place the duck breast side up on a roasting tin in the oven. Pour 100ml cold water and a 100ml orange juice in the oven pan and roast the duck for 20min then turn the oven down to 180C for 1,15hr until the skin is golden and crispy and the duck is cooked all the way through. Rest the duck for 15min before jointing it. Arrange on a platter and serve with an orange reduction.

I also like to sometimes use good quality marmalade to brush over the duck, thinned with some honey and a tablespoon of water. And the duck looks amazing served with orange segments. Pair the duck off with a good wine, something white and crisp like a cabernet sauvignon and seasonal veg.