Roast duck two ways with spiced clementine sauce

Roast duck two ways with spiced clementine sauce

Christmas dinner for two? Forget having to carve a whole duck and enjoy this meltingly soft, crispy skinned leg and breast meat version instead

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 10 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 40 mins

Ready in 1 hour 40 mins plus marinating

Method

  1. Mix the spices, thyme and zest. Slash the skin of the breast, cutting through the fat but not into the meat, then rub the spice mix over the breast and legs. Leave for at least 2 hrs, or for up to 24 hrs in the fridge.
  2. Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Put the legs into an ovenproof frying pan or smallish roasting tin, season well, then roast for 1½ hrs until deep golden and crisp. Sit the legs on a plate, then keep warm in a low oven or let cool. Spoon off excess fat from the pan juices and keep it for the next time you make roasties. Pull the meat and skin from the legs, shred using 2 forks, then mix together. Keep warm or, if making ahead, reheat in a hot oven for 10 mins before serving.
  3. Put the pan back on the hob, add the sugar for the sauce and let it melt and turn dark golden. Add the vinegar (the sugar might turn hard at this point but don't worry as it will dissolve again), then reduce by about half. Tip in the clementine juice and almost all the stock and bubble again until reduced and syrupy. Whisk in the butter, then season to taste.
  4. Heat a frying pan, then cook the breast, skin-side down, for 10-12 mins until very crisp and the fat has run out. Turn over, fry for another 5 mins for just pink (or longer if you prefer), then lift onto a plate and rest, uncovered, for 10 mins. Spoon off remaining fat, add the leftover stock to the pan, then stir to dissolve any tasty, meaty bits. Add to the sauce.
  5. Slice the breast on the diagonal, then divide half of the leg meat between 2 warm plates in small piles (you can use a cutter or ring if you like, to make it neater). Top with slices of breast. Spoon the sauce over the meat and serve with glazed veg and potatoes.

Per serving

834 kcalories, protein 63g, carbohydrate 38g, fat 48 g, saturated fat 14g, fibre 0g, sugar 35g, salt 1.14 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, December 2008.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • Binder photo Sally

    20 December 2008

    Sally commented on this recipe

    Really fancied this for Christmas Day, did a trial run this week, delicious!!! So much nicer than turkey! More than enough for 2 but so good we ate the lot!

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  • Binder photo Sally

    20 December 2008

    Sally rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo BB is the chef

    26 December 2008

    BB is the chef commented on this recipe

    I cooked this for Christmas day and it was absolutely delicious. I was finding it difficult to locate duck legs but found some on Christmas eve in sainsburys. Just aswell because i had contemplated making this with just 2 duck breasts but you definitely need leg and breast! Nicest duck i have ever tasted.

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  • Binder photo BB is the chef

    26 December 2008

    BB is the chef rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Jo

    18 January 2009

    Jo rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I absolutely loved this dish and probably served it with more sauce than suggested but the clementine sauce was delicious! Would definately do it again

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  • Binder photo Musidora

    25 February 2012

    Musidora rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    We did a variation on this as we only had duck legs. It was the best duck recipe I have followed & the skin of the duck was very tasty & crisp. We added a couple of star anise as we had them & served it with olive oil roasted potatoes with sea salt & spinach. The sauce was perfect & would go well with pork too. Will definitely make this again & will splash out on a breast to do it properly next time.

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  • Binder photo JMC123

    16 October 2012

    JMC123 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Yummy!!! Only used duck legs as this was just a mid week supper but the duck was tasty and moist and the skin crispy. Used a ring to keep the meat together just before serving. Also thickened the sauce a little more with cornflour which made it much more intense. Also as this was a 'leftovers' dinner I used an orange rather than the clementines. Serves with dauphinoise potatoes and steamed tenderstem broccoli and carrots. with the duck breast on top would defo make a great dinner party menu. Will do again.

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  • Binder photo Lahela

    19 May 2013

    Lahela rated this recipe

    5 stars

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Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 10 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 40 mins

Ready in 1 hour 40 mins plus marinating

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • pinch ground allspice
  • 6 or so thyme sprigs, left whole
  • zest 2 clementines , juice of 4
  • 1 large duck breast with skin on
  • 2 duck legs

FOR THE SAUCE

  • 50g light muscovado sugar
  • 100ml sherry vinegar
  • 150ml good chicken stock
  • knob of butter
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Per serving

834 kcalories, protein 63g, carbohydrate 38g, fat 48 g, saturated fat 14g, fibre 0g, sugar 35g, salt 1.14 g

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