YES, THAT IS A HAIR DRYER. I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR VARIATIONS ON ROASTED DUCK. I FOUND THIS VERSION IN MARCELLA HAZAN'S ESSENTIALS OF ITALIAN COOKING, WHICH COMBINES HER TWO-VOLUME CLASSIC ITALIAN COOKING INTO ONE BOOK. SHE BORROWS THIS TECHNIQUE FROM CHINESE COOKING, WHERE THE DUCK IS AIR DRIED BEFORE ROASTING TO ENSURE CRISP SKIN AND A JUICY INTERIOR. A QUICK BOILING OPENS THE PORES AND BLOW DRYING KEEPS THEM OPEN FOR ROASTING, SO THE FAT RUNS OFF. I LOWERED THE OVEN TEMPERATURE A BIT AND ADDED THYME TO THE OTHER HERBS. TO ACCOMPANY THE DUCK I PARBOILED CARROTS AND BABY TURNIPS, WHICH I THEN SAUTÉED IN SOME OF THE DUCK FAT ALONG WITH APPLES. THE TECHNIQUE MAY BE UNCONVENTIONAL, BUT NOTHING COULD BE SIMPLER NOR MORE DELICIOUS.
PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 450º
BRING A LARGE POT OF WATER TO A BOIL. IMMERSE THE DUCK IN THE BOILING WATER AND BOIL FOR FIVE TO SEVEN MINUTES.
REMOVE FROM THE POT AND PLACE BREAST UP ON A V-SHAPED ROASTING RACK. DRY ALL OVER ON A HIGH HEAT SETTING WITH A HAIRDRYER FOR 5-10 MINUTES. PLACE ON A PLATTER.
FINELY CHOP ROSEMARY LEAVES, THYME LEAVES AND SAGE. YOU SHOULD HAVE ABOUT A CUP.
DRY THE DUCK INSIDE AND OUT WITH PAPER TOWELS. SALT AND PEPPER CAVITY AND SKIN.
TAKE HALF THE HERB MIXTURE AND CHOP WITH THE DUCK LIVER TO FORM A ROUGH PASTE. RUB ON THE INSIDE OF THE DUCK. PAT THE REST ON THE SKIN.
RETURN DUCK TO THE RACK. ROAST IN THE OVEN FOR 30 MINUTES, THEN LOWER THE TEMPERATURE TO 350 AND ROAST ANOTHER HOUR. A COUPLE OF TIMES DURING THE COOKING, PRICK THE SKIN WITH A SHARP FORK.
WHILE THE DUCK IS ROASTING TRIM AND PEEL THE CARROTS AND THE TURNIPS. BRING THE WATER IN THE POT BACK TO THE BOIL, SALT GENEROUSLY. ADD THE VEGETABLES AND BOIL FOR 10 TO 15 MINUTES OR UNTILT HE VEGETABLES ARE TENDER. DRAIN AND PLUNGE INTO COLD WATER TO STOP THE COOKING. SET ASIDE.
PEEL THE APPLES, CUT LENGTHWISE IN QUARTERS. CUT OUT THE CORE. SLICE INTO EIGHTHS AND TOSS IN A BOWL WITH A BIT OF LEMON JUICE TO KEEP FROM TURNING BROWN.
WHEN THE DUCK IS DONE PLACE ON A WARM SERVING PLATTER.
POUR ABOUT 1/2 CUP OF DUCK FAT INTO A LARGE SAUTÉ PAN. ADD THE CARROTS AND TURNIPS. SAUTÉ ON A HIGH HEAT FOR A FEW MINUTES TO BROWN. REMOVE TO A BOWL AND SCATTER WITH CHIVES. SAUTÉ APPLES TILL LIGHTLY BROWNED.
SURROUND THE DUCK WITH THE APPLES. SERVE THE VEGETABLES ON THE SIDE.
SERVES 4
Ingredients
Directions
PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 450º
BRING A LARGE POT OF WATER TO A BOIL. IMMERSE THE DUCK IN THE BOILING WATER AND BOIL FOR FIVE TO SEVEN MINUTES.
REMOVE FROM THE POT AND PLACE BREAST UP ON A V-SHAPED ROASTING RACK. DRY ALL OVER ON A HIGH HEAT SETTING WITH A HAIRDRYER FOR 5-10 MINUTES. PLACE ON A PLATTER.
FINELY CHOP ROSEMARY LEAVES, THYME LEAVES AND SAGE. YOU SHOULD HAVE ABOUT A CUP.
DRY THE DUCK INSIDE AND OUT WITH PAPER TOWELS. SALT AND PEPPER CAVITY AND SKIN.
TAKE HALF THE HERB MIXTURE AND CHOP WITH THE DUCK LIVER TO FORM A ROUGH PASTE. RUB ON THE INSIDE OF THE DUCK. PAT THE REST ON THE SKIN.
RETURN DUCK TO THE RACK. ROAST IN THE OVEN FOR 30 MINUTES, THEN LOWER THE TEMPERATURE TO 350 AND ROAST ANOTHER HOUR. A COUPLE OF TIMES DURING THE COOKING, PRICK THE SKIN WITH A SHARP FORK.
WHILE THE DUCK IS ROASTING TRIM AND PEEL THE CARROTS AND THE TURNIPS. BRING THE WATER IN THE POT BACK TO THE BOIL, SALT GENEROUSLY. ADD THE VEGETABLES AND BOIL FOR 10 TO 15 MINUTES OR UNTILT HE VEGETABLES ARE TENDER. DRAIN AND PLUNGE INTO COLD WATER TO STOP THE COOKING. SET ASIDE.
PEEL THE APPLES, CUT LENGTHWISE IN QUARTERS. CUT OUT THE CORE. SLICE INTO EIGHTHS AND TOSS IN A BOWL WITH A BIT OF LEMON JUICE TO KEEP FROM TURNING BROWN.
WHEN THE DUCK IS DONE PLACE ON A WARM SERVING PLATTER.
POUR ABOUT 1/2 CUP OF DUCK FAT INTO A LARGE SAUTÉ PAN. ADD THE CARROTS AND TURNIPS. SAUTÉ ON A HIGH HEAT FOR A FEW MINUTES TO BROWN. REMOVE TO A BOWL AND SCATTER WITH CHIVES. SAUTÉ APPLES TILL LIGHTLY BROWNED.
SURROUND THE DUCK WITH THE APPLES. SERVE THE VEGETABLES ON THE SIDE.
SERVES 4
Notes
