Recipe: Commander's Palace Crispy Roast Duck with Roasted Vegetables and Orange Brandy Sauce

CRISPY ROAST DUCK WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES AND ORANGE BRANDY SAUCE

"La Tour d'Argent in Paris has one of the world's oldest and most beautiful duck presses. It also has a view of the Seine. The ambiance and the elaborate duck preparation are hard to beat. But if you don't happen to be in Paris and you don't have time to hang your ducks for two weeks as we do, then this recipe is one heck of a good substitute."

1 Long Island duck, about 5 pounds
1 quart cold water
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 large carrots, peeled and cut in half crosswise
2 medium turnips, peeled and halved
4 large new potatoes, halved
8 shiitake mushrooms, trimmed of their stems
12 cloves garlic, peeled
2 small onions, peeled and halved, or 12 pearl onions
Juice of 1 large orange
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided use
1/4 cup brandy (for the sauce)

Thoroughly rinse the duck giblets, including liver and neck, place in a large pot with 1 quart of cold water over high heat, season lightly with salt and pepper, bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Trim excess fat from the duck, especially around the neck and inside the cavity, and prick with the tines of a kitchen fork just deeply enough to penetrate the skin and fat, especially where the fat is concentrated. Make a one-inch incision under each leg bone where it meets the backbone. (You'll see a lot of fat at this spot.)

Place the duck, carrots, turnips, potatoes, mushrooms, garlic, and onions in the pot. Bring to a simmer, cover, and continue simmering for about 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked but still firm and the duck seems cooked but not overcooked.

Gently remove the duck and the vegetables, set aside, and let cool for about 30 minutes. Remove the giblets, and set aside. Transfer the cooking liquid to a bowl and refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Brush the duck with some of the orange juice, and season with salt, pepper, and half the chopped rosemary.

Place the giblets and neck in the center of a roasting pan and, using them as a rack, place the duck on top so that it does not touch the bottom of the pan. Gently arrange the vegetables around the duck.

Place the pan in the pan oven. Roast until the skin is very crisp, about 45 to 50 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the duck reads 165 degrees F on an instant-read meat thermometer, checking periodically to make sure the duck is not burning.

When finished, place the duck in the center of a serving platter and place the vegetables neatly around the duck. Pick the meat from the neck, dice the giblets, and pour off the fat remaining in pan. Remove the cooking liquid from the refrigerator and discard any fat that has floated to the surface.

Place the roasting pan over two burners on top of the stove over high heat. Add the remaining rosemary and the brandy, being careful of a possible flareup. Using a wooden spoon, scrape off any glaze that may be on the bottom the pan. Add the cooking liquid and the remaining orange juice, bring to a boil, then simmer to reduce for about 10 minutes, until the liquid has :has reached a saucelike consistency.
Strain the sauce into a small pot, add the reserved neck and innards meat, and season with salt and pepper.

Carve the duck, and serve the sauce in a separate bowl on the side, not poured the crispy duck skin.

CHEF JAMIE'S TIPS:
At Commander's Palace, we use fresh Muscovy ducks. You can use any domestic duck for this recipe (about half of them are Long Island ducks). Fresh ducks can be hard to find, but don't let a frozen bird stop you. I always use a Grade A duck. The blanching of the duck and vegetables can be done up to a day in advance.
Chilling the cooking liquid lets unwanted fat rise to the top. That's why a wide bowl works so well; the liquid cools fast and there is a large surface.

Vegetables should be brown and very tender. Be careful not to break them up.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Commander's Kitchen by Ti Adelaide Martin and Jamie Shannon