Maple-glazed duck with spice-poached plums
Ingredients
- MAPLE-GLAZED DUCK
- 1,5kg – 2kg duck, fully defrosted if previously frozen
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- handful fresh rosemary sprigs
- handful fresh thyme sprigs
- handful fresh sage leaves
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 1 orange, quartered
- large knob butter, softened
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 60ml (¼ cup) maple syrup, to glaze
- SPICE-POACHED PLUMS
- 500ml (2 cups) white wine
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- pinch salt
- 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 100g sugar
- 1L (4 cups) boiling water
- 8 yellow plums
- fresh bay leaves, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Remove the wing tips from your duck. Stuff the duck cavity with the onion quarters, cinnamon sticks, herbs and of the garlic cloves. Arrange the orange quarters around the duck, truss of the duck all over with the remaining garlic clove, then rub the skin with the butter. Generously season the duck and rub the seasoning into the skin.
Place the duck in the oven and reduce the temperature to 180°C. Roast for 30 minutes per 500g.
While the duck roasts, make the poached plums. Place all of the ingredients, except the plums, in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer, add the plums and simmer until just tender, minutes. Remove the plums from the poaching liquid and set aside, discarding the liquid.
Just before serving the duck, glaze with the maple syrup. Serve with the poached plums, caramelised oranges and garnish with fresh bay leaves, if desired.
