Cooking for a smaller crowd...


ROAST DUCK WITH PORT AND WINTER SPICES


Cooking duck slowly is the best way to enjoy the whole bird, as it ensures that the legs are cooked through properly and the bird is tender.


Serves 4


2 onions 1 leek 2 carrots 1 large duck, ready for roasting 25g soft butter 1 fresh thyme sprig 400ml chicken stock 100ml port 2 tbsp dark brown sugar


FOR THE SPICES Quarter of cinnamon stick 1.5 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp cloves 2 juniper berries 1 bay leaf


1 tbsp black peppercorns 1.5 tsp sea salt


1 Preheat the oven to 170C/gas 3. Cut the onions into quarters and roughly chop the leek and carrots. Place all the spices in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar and grind to a fi ne powder.


2 Pierce the skin of the duck with a large fork – this allows the fat to escape – then rub it with the butter. Season with salt and sprinkle with half of the spice mixture.


3 Place the vegetables, thyme, chicken stock, port and sugar in a roasting tin, then put the duck on top of vegetables (this prevents the duck from browning too much on the bottom). Cover with foil and cook in the oven for about 1.5 hours, basting occasionally with the juices.


4 Remove the foil and return to the oven for another 30 mins. When the duck is cooked, remove it from the tin, sprinkle with the remaining spice mixture and allow to rest for 10 mins. Carve it into thick slices before serving with the pan juices.


Slow Cooking by James Martin, published by Quadrille Publishing Limited


18 | THE WEST COUNTRY FOODLOVER


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