Best Canard Roti Avec Gold Leaf Roasted Duckling Recipes

CONFIT DE CANARD

Steps:

• Rub the duck legs all over with the split garlic cloves and put them in a glass bowl with the salt, pepper, bay leaves, and thyme. Cover with a tea towel and refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours, turning once.
• Heat the oven to 200 degrees F. Rinse the duck and pat dry with a towel. Set the legs in a baking dish and tuck in the garlic cloves. Pour over enough fat to cover them, place over heat and when you see the first bubble, set it on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and bake uncovered until the meat is very tender and shrinks away from the bone, about 4 hours. Cool slightly in the fat, then carefully lift them out.
• While the confit cooks, soak 2 wooden skewers in a saucepan and boil 5 minutes to sterilize. Lay in the bottom of two sterilized glass loaf pans (breaking the sticks if needed). Lay on the duck legs and ladle over the fat, leaving any juices behind. Make sure they are well covered. Cover with foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate a week to mellow.
• To cook, remove the pans from the fridge and set in simmering water about 20 minutes, so you can pull the legs out without breaking. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and lay the legs skin-side down with a little fat around them in a cast iron pan. Bake until hot, about 15 minutes. Remove and turn oven to broil. Turn legs skin-side up and broil to crispen skin, about 3 minutes.

CONFIT DE CANARD

Steps:

• Quarter the ducks and remove the backbones. Cut and trim off as much fat as possible. Grind any excess skin and all the fat in a food processor, place in a deep saucepan with 1 cup water and render the fat (simmer it over low heat for about 45 minutes, uncovered), strain, and reserve.
• Cut each breast into halves with the wings attached. Roll each piece of duck in the salt and place it in a large stainless glass or earthen bowl. Sprinkle each piece of duck with a mixture of the shallots, herbs, and spices and scatter any remaining salt over the top. Cover loosely and refrigerate 24 hours. NOTE: This may be cut down to a few hours if it is to be eaten within a week or two.
• Rinse quickly, then wipe the pieces of duck to remove all the salt, herbs, spices, and liquid.
• Heat the strained fat in a deep, wide kettle. Add the duck, 1/2 cup of water, the halved garlic head, and enough rendered poultry or pork fat to cover. Bring the mixture to a boil. Lower heat and cook at a simmer for 1 1/2 hours, or until the duck flesh can be easily pierced with a straw. Do not let the mixture boil.
• Remove the duck, drain and discard any loose bones. Strain the warmed fat. Put about 1 cup of warmed fat into each of the bowls or mason jars intended for storage of the confit and cool in order to congeal the fat.
• Arrange the duck pieces in the containers without compacting them. Strain the remaining fat, tepid but not hot, over the duck to cover. The pieces of duck must be completely submerged in the fat. Cover and chill until solid. Cover with a layer of melted lard. Cover tightly with a glass top or with plastic wrap and store in a cool place such as a cold cellar or the refrigerator. Leave to ripen at least 1 month. It keeps well for 6 months.
• To use the confit, set the jars or bowl in a warm oven. When the fat softens, remove pieces desired. Return jar or bowl to the refrigerator. Be sure all of the remaining pieces are covered with fat. The duck can be served at room temperature or warmed in an oven, then Sauteed to crisp the skin.

ROAST DUCK WITH ORANGE SAUCE - CANARD A L' ORANGE JULIA CHILD

Steps:

• Start the stock for the sauce well in advance.
• Brown duck parts with carrot and onion in oil. (or brown carrot and onion with gleaned duck fat).
• Add bullion and water.
• Simmer with herbs and reduce to 2 cups.
• Skim fat, any scum, strain, and set aside, or refrigerate until needed.
• To begin the sauce, bring water to simmer while preparing orange peel.
• The peel is for both the roasting duck, and the sauce. This also, needs to be done in advance.
• Peel oranges, making sure that the strips are only the orange colored part, not the bitter white.
• Julienne into strips about 1/8" or less by 1 1/2 ".
• Simmer in water 6 minutes, drain, rinse in cold water, dry, and set aside.
• Peel orange segments, put in covered container, and set aside, or refrigerate.
• Prepare duck by trimming loose fat, making sure all feathers are gone, and remove wishbone from breast (optional).
• Prick skin to allow fat to escape, and to baste the duck during the cooking.
• Season cavity of ducks with salt and pepper, and place 1/3 of orange peel and 1/3 of orange segments inside.
• The small ducklings will take about 25 to 30 minutes to roast, so you might want to continue the sauce at this point and preheat the oven to 450°F.
• In a saucepan, blend sugar and vinegar over low heat to dissolve.
• Boil rapidly until mixture begins to caramelize.
• Lower heat to simmer, add half the duck stock, and stir until mixture is no longer caramelized.
• Remove from heat.
• Add remaining stock, blended cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of the port, remaining orange peel, and all but a few orange segments (saved for garnish).
• Simmer for 3-4 minutes, correct seasoning, and keep warm. Sauce should be clear and slightly thickened.
• Place ducklings on rack in small roasting pan, breast side up and place in oven.
• Roast 5 minutes, reduce heat to 350°F, and turn on side, and place back in oven.
• Continue to roast and turn, until duck is breast up. Roast 25 to 30 minutes total.
• When ducklings are done (juice will be rosy clear) place on warmed individual platters and keep warm.
• Finish sauce by removing fat from roasting pan and deglaze with port.
• Add to sauce.
• Bring sauce to simmer, add orange liqueur, and correct seasoning with lemon juice if sauce seems too sweet.
• Remove sauce from heat, swirl in butter and spoon some over ducks and put remainder in a warmed sauceboat.
• Garnish ducks with remaining orange segments, place rice and peas on platters and serve.

QUEENSLAND DUCKLING

Steps:

• Bring large saucepan with 3 quarts salted water to boil. Add duck, reduce heat and cover to simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until tender. Remove duck and strip flesh from carcass and dry with cloth. Strain cooking liquid and let cool. Once cooled, skim fat and reserve.
• Heat oil in frying pan and add duck pieces, frying 15 minutes until crisp brown on all sides. Return duck to large saucepan, add 1 3/4 cups cooking liquid, 1 cup pineapple pieces, green pepper and ginger. Cover and simmer another 15 minutes. Remove duck and rest on heated serving dish to keep warm.
• Skim any fat from surface of cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Separately combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, pepper and arrowroot, mixing well. Add this to cooking liquid and stir until it thickens and clears. Pour sauce over duck.