Recipe(tried): Roast Duck with Port-Garlic Sauce

Hi Karen - like Gladys, I love duck with a rich raspberry sauce (deglaze pan with white wine and stock, reduce and add Chambourd and some raspberries - not that sweet, either.)

But, I have also used this basic recipe (from Bon Appetit magazine) which sounds like it might be something like you want. This is the recipe as written - I have some notes at the end.

ROAST DUCK WITH PORT-GARLIC SAUCE

For sauce
1 5-pound duck, fresh or frozen, thawed (neck, heart and gizzard reserved)
1 medium onion, quartered
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
4 1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
6 large garlic cloves, sliced
1 cup ruby Port
1 tablespoon all purpose flour

For duck
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 large garlic cloves, pressed
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Make sauce:
Cut off duck wing tips at joint. Combine neck, heart, gizzard and wing tips in large saucepan. Add onion, carrot and celery to pan. Add 4-1/2 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 1 hour. Strain stock into medium saucepan. Boil stock until reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and saut until golden, about 2 minutes. Add Port and boil 5 minutes. Add reduced duck stock and boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 8 minutes. Mix remaining 1 tablespoon butter and flour in small bowl. Whisk into sauce and simmer until thickened, about 1 minute. Season sauce with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before serving.)

Make duck:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Trim excess fat from cavity of duck. Using fork, pierce duck skin in several places. Place duck, breast side up, on rack in large roasting pan. Brush soy sauce over duck. Mix mustard and pressed garlic in small bowl. Brush mustard mixture over duck. Mix salt, pepper and thyme in another small bowl. Sprinkle spice-herb mixture over duck and in cavity. Roast duck 45 minutes. Turn duck and roast, breast side down, 30 minutes. Turn duck and roast, breast side up, until duck is deep golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes longer. Transfer duck to platter. Serve with sauce.

Serves 4.

My notes: I think this serves 4 people if it is part of a large, multicourse meal, but serves only 3 for hungry eaters. This basic recipe is also good if you add sauteed whole mushrooms, and poached onions and carrots to the dish just before serving. Good olives can also be added.