Roast duck with blackberry orange sauce recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (4- to 6-pound) domestic duck
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 small orange, quartered
• 1 stalk celery, cut up
• 1 small onion, quartered
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons orange liqueur
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon finely shredded orange peel
• ½ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup orange liqueur
• ¼ cup mild-flavor molasses
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 2 cups blackberries
• Blackberries (optional)

1. Adjust oven rack to lower third of the oven. Preheat oven to 500°F. Rinse duck body cavity; pat dry. Rub cavity with the 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Place orange, celery, onion, and thyme in cavity. Skewer neck skin to back; tie legs to tail. Twist wing tips under back. Brush duck with the 2 tablespoons orange liqueur.
2. Place duck, breast side down, on rack in a shallow roasting pan. Add the hot water to the roasting pan. Place in lower third of oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Roast, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
3. Carefully remove roasting pan from oven; drain fat.* Turn duck, breast side up. Roast for 45 to 60 minutes more or until drumsticks move easily in their sockets (165°F). Juices may still appear pink.
4. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small saucepan whisk together orange peel, orange juice, brown sugar, the ¼ cup orange liqueur, the molasses, ginger, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened and syrupy. Stir in 2 cups blackberries. Use a potato masher or fork to coarsely mash berries. Cover and set aside.
5. Transfer duck to a cutting board; let stand for 15 minutes. Discard stuffing mixture. Using kitchen shears, cut duck in half lengthwise. Cut each half between the breast and the thigh into two pieces. Drain fat from roasting pan. Arrange duck quarters in pan. Pour blackberry sauce over the duck. Return to oven. Roast in the 350°F oven for 30 minutes.
6. Transfer duck pieces to a serving platter. Pour any juices in roasting pan over duck pieces. If desired, serve with additional blackberries.