Roasted Duck with Rosemary and Orange

Roasted Duck with Rosemary and Orange

• 5 pound duck
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 3 sprigs rosemary, stripped
• 2 oranges, zested in big strips and cut in half
• salt and pepper

1. Rinse the duck under cold, running water, then dry thoroughly with a towel. Score the fat with a sharp knife, then rub liberally with coriander seeds, rosemary, salt and pepper.
2. Place the duck on a rack fitted on top of a sheet pan and allow to air dry in your refrigerate for up to three days, preferably a minimum of one.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the oven rack positioned in the center and remove the duck from the refrigerator.
4. Transfer the duck to an appropriately sized roasting pan fitted with a rack. Cover the breasts with large strips of zest and place the halved oranges alongside of it.
5. When the oven is ready, cook the duck, covered, for 2 hours, or until a meat thermometer can be inserted into the thigh and register 165 degrees and the legs are loose in their sockets.
6. Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Remove the cover or foil from the roasting pan, scrape off orange zest and juice the roasted oranges over the duck to make a light glaze. Roast uncovered until the skin becomes golden brown and crispy, then remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.

Garnish with orange slices and sprigs of rosemary, as desired. If you wish to prepare that cloying orange sauce, heat equal parts sugar, fresh orange juice and chicken or duck stock (say, half a cup of each to make a cup of sauce) in a saucepan over medium heat. Combine equal parts cornstarch and cold water (a tablespoon or so) until smooth, then whisk enough into the sauce to reach a desired thickness. Finish with a tablespoon of butter and marmalade off the heat and season with a pinch of salt, if necessary.