Good quality duck can be ordered in advance from any good butcher – I use O’Connell’s on Little Catherine St.
1 Orange
5 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp dry sherry
1 tsp Chinese five spice
1 star anise
4 cloves of garlic
5cm piece of fresh ginger
1½ kg duck
3 tbsp honey
Pull any excess fat from the cavity of the bird and use a fork or skewer to prick the skin of the duck all over – do this lightly as you do not want to pierce the meat.
Using a potato peeler, take the zest (taking care not to use the bitter white pith) from the orange in thick strips then mix with the soy sauce, sherry and five spice powder in a large food bag. Bash the garlic cloves and ginger with the back of a knife to bruise them, then add to the bag and give everything a good mix. Put the duck in the bag and rub the marinade all over the flesh then leave to marinate in the fridge for at least three hours but overnight is ideal.
Heat the oven to 190ºc. Remove the duck from the marinade (keep it for later). Quarter the orange and place inside the cavity along with the bashed ginger, garlic and star anise from the marinade. Lay the duck, breast-side down, on a rack over a roasting tray and roast for three hours.
Strain the marinade into a pan along with the honey. Bring up to the boil then simmer for a couple of minutes. After three hours, remove duck from the oven and turn the heat up as high as it can go. Place the duck on the rack, right way up, brush some of the marinade all over, and return to the oven. Cook until the bird is crisp and browned – this should only take a couple of minutes. Leave to rest, uncovered, for ten minutes.
This dish is wonderful when served with the remaining warmed marinade, some plain rice and bok choi stir-fried with a little garlic and oyster sauce or with stir fried broccoli and cashew nuts
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