The Blood Orange Duck Recipe That Will Win Christmas
We're fans of ace chef and Food Republic co-founder Marcus Samuelsson's new book, Marcus Off Duty. Filled with favorite recipes from his restaurants, as well as family, friends and chefs around the country, this cookbook has a little bit of everything.
Duck, with its rich dark meat and crackling skin, is really a celebration dish, something elegant for Christmas, New Year's Eve or a birthday. Citrus juices help cut the richness of the meat; blood oranges have an almost floral taste, so if you can find them, use them. The miso, chile paste and soy give this duck an Asian feel. Think duck à l'orange without the usual suspects.
The Blood Orange Duck Recipe That Will Win Christmas
Prep Time
45
minutes
Cook Time
2.25
hours
Servings
4
Total time: 3 hours
Ingredients
- 1 (4 1/2-pound) duck
- zest and juice of 1 grapefruit
- 1 cup blood orange juice (or fresh orange juice)
- 1 blood orange (or Valencia
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 1 teaspoon sambal oelek (see note) or harissa
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 red onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
- segments and juice from 1 blood orange
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 cups watercress
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1 shallot
Directions
- Pull the excess fat from the cavity of the duck. (Freeze it so you can render it later.)
- Put 1/2 cup grapefruit juice (drink the rest) in a bowl with the grapefruit zest, blood orange juice, blood orange zest, soy sauce, miso, sambal oelek, sesame oil and salt and whisk until smooth.
- Set the duck in a large bowl, then pour the citrus-soy marinade over it.
- Cover and marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Remove the duck from the marinade and place it on a rack in a roasting pan.
- Poke the skin all over the duck with a skewer or the tip of a small knife.
- Place the blood orange quarters, onion, garlic cloves and thyme in the duck’s cavity.
- Tie the legs together with butcher’s twine and roast the duck for 1 hour.
- Bail out any fat that has rendered from the duck. (Strain the fat and freeze it.)
- Increase the oven temperature to 450°F and roast the duck for another 45 minutes, basting every few minutes with the marinade while it roasts.
- If the duck is burning, lower the heat to 350°F.
- The duck is done when the legs move easily and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 160°F.
- Let the duck rest on a cutting board for 30 minutes.
- Warm the chickpeas in a small pot over medium heat.
- Whisk the orange juice, olive oil and balsamic vinegar together in a small bowl.
- Put the chickpeas, watercress, orange segments, pine nuts and shallot in a salad bowl.
- Toss with the vinaigrette.
- If you want, strip the leaves from the thyme in the duck cavity and add them to the salad.
- Carve the duck and serve it with the watercress-chickpea salad.
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