Browse All Recipes

Duck with orange and quatre épices

What could be better than duck and orange?

By Brigitte Hafner
  • 15 mins preparation
  • 2 hrs 15 mins cooking plus resting
  • Serves 4 - 6
  • Print
    Print
"I like to cook duck so the meat is well-done and the juices run clear," says Brigitte Hafner. "It's the most delicious way, and makes it much easier to carve. It's important to rest the meat for at least 20 minutes – that way the flavours come together and the texture is way better. I often start roasting a duck at three in the afternoon, then simply reheat it for 15 minutes and carve it at the table.

Ingredients

  • 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
  • 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
  • 250 ml (1 cup) red wine
  • 1 orange, pierced several times with a sharp knife
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 duck (2.2kg), rinsed and patted dry
  • Olive oil, for drizzling
Quatre épices
  • 1 nutmeg, finely grated
  • 1 cinnamon quill
  • 1 tsp white peppercorns
  • 6 whole cloves

Method

  • 1
    For quatre épices, finely grind spices in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.
  • 2
    Preheat oven to 170°C. Place carrot, celery and onion in the base of a large roasting pan, pour in red wine and place orange and bay leaves inside duck. Sprinkle duck generously all over with quatre épices, season with salt, then set on top of vegetables. Roast until golden brown and juices run clear when a thigh is pierced with a skewer (1¾-2 hours). Carefully pour juices into a small saucepan, cover duck loosely with foil and set aside to rest for 20 minutes
  • 3
    While duck is resting, allow fat to settle on top of pan juices, then spoon off excess. Remove orange and bay from duck, halve the orange and squeeze juice and pulp from one half into pan juices. Stir over medium-high heat until reduced slightly (2-3 minutes).
  • 4
    Spoon pan juices over duck and drizzle with oil to serve.

Notes

Drink suggestion: Your finest pinot noir. Drink suggestion by Max Allen.

SHAREPIN
  • undefined: Brigitte Hafner