Bones_ Recipes, History, and Lore - Jennifer McLagan [69]
4. Remove the trussing string, from the guinea hen. Carve and serve with the sauce.
Roasted Duck with Peaches and Cardamom
Duck is commonly paired with fruit, and too often it’s oranges or cherries, which can be overly sweet and taste like dessert. This duck is roasted with peaches and cardamom and then served with more peaches that have been poached separately in a light cardamom syrup. Rather than sweet, the peaches add a surprising acid touch, which complements the rich meat of the duck. Do make sure your cardamom is not old; the seeds should be black and highly aromatic when you crush the pods. There is no need to peel the peaches that go in the duck or the roasting pan. As for the poached peaches, it’s up to you.
1 duck, about 4 pounds (1.8 kg), neck reserved
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
1 small carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 large peaches
14 green cardamom pods, crushed
1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) Poultry Stock (page 130)
1. About 8 hours before you plan to cook the duck, pat it dry and place on a plate, uncovered, in the refrigerator to help dry the skin.
2. One hour before roasting, remove the duck from the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
3. Pour the oil into a roasting pan and brush or rub a light film of oil over the bottom of the pan. Scatter the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in the pan. Using a needle or pin, prick the skin of the duck all over. Season the duck inside with salt and pepper, then trim off the wing tips and reserve. Rub the skin with about 1 teaspoon salt.
4. Cut 4 of the peaches into wedges and discard the pits. Place as many peach wedges as will fit comfortably inside the duck—about 2 peaches—along with 4 cardamom pods. Truss the duck. Add the remaining peach wedges, along with the wing tips, the neck, and 6 cardamom pods to the roasting pan. Season them and the vegetables very generously with pepper. Put the duck on its side on top of the vegetables and roast for 10 minutes.
5. Turn the duck on its other side and roast for 10 minutes, then turn the duck on its back and roast for another 10 minutes.
6. Spoon off any fat that has accumulated in the roasting pan. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue to roast for another hour, or until the juices from the thigh are slightly pink when pierced with a skewer or the thigh temperature registers 180°F (82°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
7. While the duck is roasting, put the sugar, 1 cup (250 ml) water, and the remaining 4 cardamom pods in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then boil for 1 minute without stirring. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and set aside.
8. About 30 minutes before the duck is cooked, halve the remaining 2 peaches, remove the pits, and place them in a small baking dish. Pour over the cardamom syrup. Cook the peaches, uncovered, in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender.
9. When the duck is cooked, transfer it to a platter, breast side down. Remove the trussing string, then cover loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest, while you prepare the sauce.
10. Discard the fat from the roasting pan, leaving the vegetables and peaches in the pan. Place it over high heat, add the stock, and bring to a boil, deglazing the pan by scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Continue to boil until the sauce reduces by half.
11. While the sauce is reducing, carve the duck. Add any juices from the duck to the sauce. Strain the sauce, pressing hard on the vegetables and peaches to extract all the flavor. Check the seasoning. Serve the duck with the peach halves and the sauce.
TIPS Goose works well in this recipe.