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1 teaspoon brown sugar

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon, halved

¾ bunch fresh cilantro

2 garlic cloves

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Rinse the chicken with cool water inside and out; then pat it dry with paper towels. Combine the cinnamon stick, cloves, cayenne, cumin, fennel, coriander, and paprika in a dry skillet over low heat and toast for just a minute to release the fragrant oils; shake the pan so the spices don’t scorch. In a spice mill or clean coffee grinder, grind the toasted spices together with the sea salt and brown sugar.

Massage the chicken skin with the spice rub; make sure you don’t miss a spot. Season the inside of the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Stuff the lemons halves, cilantro, and garlic in the cavity. Place the chicken in a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Fold the wing tips under the bird and tie the legs together with kitchen string. Drizzle the oil all over the chicken. If you have time, let the chicken sit for 30 minutes to really get the flavors deep into the meat. Roast the chicken for 1 hour, then pop an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh; if it reads 160°F., it’s time to eat. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving so the juices can settle back into the meat. Squeeze the lemon halves that have cooked inside the chicken over the meat for added pow.

Wok-Smoked Duck with Green Tea and Orange

Wok-Smoked Duck

with Green Tea and Orange

1½ hours + 24 hours marinating time

This dish takes a little planning ahead but is well worth it. Don’t be scared—it’s a show-off dish. You may, however, have to shop around for some of the makings. A trip to your local Asian market or a surf on the Internet should do it. Start by marinating the duck the night before you plan to serve it. A smoker isn’t required, but you will need a wok with a domed lid and wire rack insert (sorry, an electric wok won’t work). Serve with steamed Asian greens like bok choy or Chinese broccoli. Round out the meal with Perfect Steamed Jasmine Rice.

Serves 4

Duck

1 whole duck, 5 pounds

2 cups low-sodium soy sauce

1 cup water

1 cup honey

3-inch piece fresh ginger, coarsely chopped

4 garlic cloves, smashed

⅓ cup brown sugar

1 orange, halved

1 lemon, halved

1 lime, halved

Smoker

1 cup raw jasmine rice

½ cup loose green tea

¼ cup sugar

Orange Glaze

2 cups plum wine

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

½ cup water

½ teaspoon cornstarch

1-inch piece fresh ginger, cut into paper-thin slices

Peel and juice of 1 orange

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1 garlic clove, halved

Sea salt and ground white pepper

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, for garnish (see Note)

Pierce the skin of the duck with a fork so the flavor of the marinade can penetrate the meat. In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, honey, ginger, garlic, and brown sugar. Squeeze in the juice of the orange, lemon, and lime, reserving the empty rinds. Place the duck in a 2-gallon plastic storage bag, pour in the marinade, and toss in the citrus halves. Seal and refrigerate for 24 hours. The next afternoon, take the duck out of the marinade and pat it dry with paper towels. Stuff the duck cavity with the marinated citrus rinds and discard the rest of the marinade. Fold the wing tips under and tie the legs together with kitchen string. The duck should have a dark coffee color and smell of citrus and ginger.

The next thing you want to work on is setting up the wok-smoker. Line the bottom of the wok with a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Spread the rice, green tea, and sugar on the foil in an even layer and place the wok on the stovetop. Set the steamer rack insert on top of the foil and turn the heat to high. When the rice starts to smoke, lay the duck on the rack, breast side up. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover tightly with the domed lid. The goal is to impart a sweet, smoky flavor to the duck. Let the duck hot smoke for 20 minutes; then turn the heat off and leave the duck covered in