serves
4
prep
10 minutes
cook
2 hours
difficulty
Easy
serves
4
people
preparation
10
minutes
cooking
2
hours
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 2 carrots, cut into medium dice
- 2 onions, cut into medium dice
- 2 celery stalks, cut into medium dice
- 2 Pekin ducks (1.5 kg each)
- 4 thyme sprigs, leaves stripped
- salt flakes and black pepper
- 100 g Seville orange marmalade, warmed
Drink match Josef Chromy Pinot Noir 2010, Relbia, Tas
"Of course you could choose not to drink Pinot Noir with this wonderful duck dish. I said you could. But as the world stopped turning you’d realise your folly. Duck and Pinot is a cliché that I never ever get tired of. The savoury, earthy meat, with the sweet glaze dial up that perfect Pinot balance of funk and fruit. Go for something with a bit of body and richness to stand up to the glaze. At a recent Pinot Noir blind tasting this Josef Chromy Pinot Noir showed beautifully, especially against bottles many times its price. It has fruit richness, a smoky edge and lovely texture." - Dan Coward
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 220°C.
Scatter the vegetables around a baking tray.
Cut the ducks in half, removing the back bone, and season the skin with thyme, salt and pepper. Place, skin-side up, on the vegetables and roast for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 160ºC and roast until tender (when you push at the leg meat it is soft). This could take up to another hour, depending on the ducks and your oven.
When soft, take the ducks out of the oven. Cool slightly, and then remove the bones from the underside. Brush the skin with warmed marmalade and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
