Roast duck with thyme

Categories: February

Ingredients

• 2 large (about 2-2.3kg each), oven-ready ducks
• 4 tbsp dry white wine
• 2 tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 garlic bulb, split in half
• 4 shallots, roughly chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 8 parsley stalks, roughly chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C/fan 180˚C/gas 6.

2. Wash the ducks thoroughly, drain well, and pat dry. Drizzle the body and the cavity of each duck with the white wine. Mix together the salt, sugar and white pepper, then sprinkle the mixture over the outside of the ducks and in the cavitites, and rub in with your hands. Divide the garlic, shallots, thyme, bay leaves and parsley stalks between each duck cavity.

3. Put the ducks in a roasting tin, fitted with a rack, breast-side up. Transfer to the hot oven and roast for 30 minutes, then turn them over and roast for a further 30 minutes. Pour off any excess fat from the roasting tray as it accumulates. Turn the ducks breast-side up again and pierce the skins all over with a fork. Return to the oven for a further 30-40 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave them to rest for at least 10 minutes.

4. To make a little jus, allow the juices and sediment to settle in the roasting tin. Pour or skim off all the excess fat. Deglaze the roasting pan with some red wine, stock or water, scraping the bottom of the tin to loosen all the little caramelised bits. Allow to boil for a few minutes, then strain through a fine sieve.

5. To serve, cut off the legs and thighs together. Remove the breasts from the bone as you would a chicken, and slice into 2-3 pieces. Arrange all the duck pieces on an ovenproof serving dish, skin-side up. Just before serving, crisp and warm the duck under a hot grill for about 5-10 minutes.

6. Serve with the risotto and a little dribble of the jus on the side.

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