A typical duck weighs around 5lbs and feeds 3 to 4 people.
Ingredients:
2 medium lemons peeled
3 rosemary sprigs about 7" long
1 or 2 medium garlic bulbs sliced in half
1/2-1 tbsp olive oil
1 to 2 tsp fennel pollen
a quality salt
white or black pepper
8 unpeeled shallot cloves
4 tbsp salted or unsalted butter for basting
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Rinse the duck, including the cavity with cold water then dry with paper towels.
Peel the lemons and cut in half. Citrus peel is bitter and can affect the flavor.
Cut the garlic bulb(s) in half. If you want a less noticeable garlic flavor, use
1 medium bulb of garlic.
The easiest way to put salt and pepper into the cavity of the poultry is to put the
lemons pieces, garlic and rosemary sprigs in a bowl and season with salt, pepper
and some of the fennel pollen. Stuff this into the cavity and secure with a thin
metal skewer or toothpicks.
Generously rub the duck with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and fennel pollen.
Truss the bird with a non-toxic cotton cooking twine.
Place it into a standard roasting pan. I place unpeeled shallots around the duck as
they help reduce spattering.
Let the duck come to room temperature prior to roasting.
Roast at 350 degrees for 15 minutes then lower to 325 degrees. Ducks render a
good amount of fat and the drippings spatter at temps above 325 degrees. If the
spattering fat hits the oven element it will flame and the smoke can negatively
affect the flavor. At 325 degrees the skin will still be crisp and golden.
At 30 minutes from the start, baste the duck with butter, not with the juices from
the pan. Check the temperature of the meat and baste again at 15-minute intervals
until the internal temperature reaches 145-165 degrees.
When the duck reaches the desired temperature, remove it from the roasting pan
and set it on a cutting board or platter. Tent it with parchment paper or foil and let
it rest for 30 minutes before carving.
The juices and fat in the pan can be used to make gravy. Or, when the liquid is cool
enough to handle, pour through a strainer into a bowl, cover and refrigerate. After
the fat hardens and separates from the pan juices, scoop off the fat and put it into a
covered jar. Leave the jar on the counter for an hour so that the pieces of fat melt
together.
Duck fat will keep in the refrigerator for about a month. It makes delicious fried
potatoes. If making duck stock, add the remaining refrigerated pan juices to the
stock pot. I usually reserve the shallots to eat with any leftovers.
