Roasted Duck With Cherries

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 (3 -4 lb) duck
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 lb cherries, pitted
• 3 tablespoons madeira wine
• 1/4 cup chicken stock, prefereably homemade

Recipe

• 1 remove any fat from the cavity of the duck and pierce the skin of the legs and breast with the tip of a knife or the tines of fork (helps to render out the fat).
• 2 season the duck well with salt and pepper inside and out and let the duck sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting.
• 3 preheat oven to 400°f.
• 4 roast the duck on a rack in a roasting pan for 45 minutes, turning it from side to side every ten or so minutes and finishing with it breast side up.
• 5 pour off as much fat as possible (reserve it for other uses--like the best french fries there are).
• 6 add the cherries, the wine and the stock and roast for another 15 minutes--the duck should still be pink next to the bone.
• 7 allow the duck to rest 15 minutes before carving.
• 8 to carve, remove the legs, slice the breast and reserve all the juices.
• 9 skim the juices again, taste for seasoning and serve the duck garnished with the cherries and the de-fatted pan juices.