For Chinese New Year, Tesco started stocking some frozen duck, so I decided to pick one up and try roasting my own. I ended up trying out a recipe by Jamie Oliver instead of the usual Asian-style roast duck, but the results were really satisfying. Duck meat stays so moist and tender even roasting for a long time in the oven, and the duck fat we get in the process is great for roasting potatoes later.
Now that CNY is over, I need to figure out other places to get my duck from.
Roast Duck with Bubble and Squeak and Stir-fried Vegetables
Ingredients
- A good handful of fresh thyme, leaves picked
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1.35 kg (3-pound) duck
- 300 grams (11 ounces) sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly diced
- 300 grams (11 ounces) carrots, peeled and roughly diced
- 650 grams (1 pound 6 ounces) potatoes, peeled and roughly diced
- 7 tablespoons butter
- Olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 small handful of fresh thyme, leaves picked
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1 400-gram (14-ounce) can plum tomatoes
- Dash of white wine vinegar
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 400 grams (14 ounces) finely shredded cabbage
Directions
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
Bash up the thyme with the salt with a mortar and pestle. Rub half inside and half outside the duck, then tie it up. Place the duck in a roasting pan, and using kitchen scissors, snip the skin in 1-inch intervals to allow the fat to come out. Cook in the preheated oven for about 1 1/2 hours, draining the fat off 2 or 3 times so you are left with just meat juices.
Meanwhile, bring some salted water to a boil in a large pan and cook the cabbage for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the cabbage from the pot. Add the sweet potatoes, carrots, and potatoes to the pan and continue to cook until they are all tender, then drain. Allow the veg to steam off some of their moisture before mashing them all together.
Heat some olive oil in a pan, add the onion, garlic and thyme, and fry for about 3 minutes, until softened. Pour in the apple juice. Add the tomatoes and cook for 20 minutes, until you have a thick sauce. Finally, add a dash of white wine vinegar and season to taste.
Check to see if the duck is ready by pinching the thigh meat – it should feel tender and the skin should be crisp. If it is cooked, remove it to a plate and leave it to rest in a warm place for half an hour. Remove any excess fat from the pan, add a little water, then scrape up the sticky goodness. Pour this into your sauce and then correct the seasoning.
While the sauce is simmering, heat the butter in a non-stick pan and fry the cabbage for 3 minutes. Add the mashed veggies, pat together, season to taste and fry, stirring every minute, until golden brown.
To serve, divide the bubble and squeak between your plates, carve the duck and give everybody a bit of leg and breast. Spoon over the sauce. Lovely!
Store the leftover duck fat in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 6 months.
