GRILLED DUCK WITH GARLIC AND GINGER

Steps:

• Cinnamon Cherry or Orange Sauce for Duck (recipes follow)1. Set the grill up for indirect grilling, placing a large drip pan in the center, and preheat to medium-low. 2. Remove and discard the fat just inside the body cavities of the duck. Remove the package of giblets and set aside for another use. Rinse the duck inside and out, under cold running water, then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels.3. Place the duck on its breast so the back side is up. Using the tip of a sharp, slender knife, make 1 slit in the fatty part of the duck under each wing and 1 slit in the underside of each thigh. Insert a sliver of garlic and a sliver of ginger into each slit, then place the remaining garlic and ginger in the body cavity. Prick the duck skin all over with a fork, being careful not to pierce the meat then season the duck, inside and out, very generously with salt and pepper.4. Place the duck, breast side up, on a rack over the drip pan. Cover the grill and cook the duck for 1 1/2 hours.5. At this point, turn the bird on its end over a bowl to drain off any juices that accumulate in the cavity discard the juices. Continue cooking the duck until the skin is mahogany brown and crackling crisp and the meat is well done and tender, another 30 to 60 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner muscle of a thigh, not touching the bone, should register 170°F. If using a charcoal grill, add 10 to 12 fresh prelighted coals per side after each hour of cooking.6. Transfer the duck to a platter and let sit for 5 minutes before carving. Serve with either of the suggested sauces on the side.Serves 2 as an entréeOrange Sauce for DuckDuckling à l'orange was one of the first dishes I learned to make at the La Varenne cooking school in Paris it is another French classic. The sauce owes its unique sweet-sour-caramel flavor to the bigarade, a mixture of burnt sugar and vinegar. The traditional preparation calls for oranges, but I also like the exotic flavor you get with tangerines. To reinforce the orange flavor, place a few strips of the orange zest in the cavity of the duck before grilling.2 large oranges, preferable navels 1/4 cup sugar3 tablespoons water1/4 cup red wine vinegar1 1/2 cups rich duck or chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth1 tablespoon orange marmalade1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueurSalt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste1. Finely grate enough zest off one of the oranges to make 1 teaspoon. Cut the remaining rind and all the white pith off this orange to expose the flesh. Working over a bowl to catch any juices, and using a sharp paring knife, make V-shaped cuts between the membranes to release neat segments. Set the segments aside, first removing any seeds with a fork. Juice the second orange: You should have about 2/3 cup juice in all.2. Combine the sugar and water in a small, deep, heavy saucepan. Cover, set over high heat, and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook until the sugar caramelizes (turns a deep golden brown), gently swirling the pan to ensure even cooking. This should take 6 to 8 minutes, but watch carefully-it can burn quickly. Remove the pan from the heat and add the vinegar. (Stand back: The sauce will emit a Vesuvian hiss, releasing eye-stinging vinegar vapors.) Return the mixture to low heat and simmer gently, whisking steadily, until the caramel is completely dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes.3. Stir the orange juice and stock into the caramel mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, uncovered, to reduce by half, 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the orange marmalade. Simmer until melted, about 1 minute. Dissolve the cornstarch in the Grand Marnier and whisk this mixture into the sauce. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Add the orange segments and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.Makes about 2 cups, enough for 2 ducks