Main Supper

Glazed Cardamom and Honey Whole Roast Duck

A fantastic take on a classic roast duck that tastes absolutely delicious and it is bound to impress your friends!

35 minutes prep, 2 hours 40 minutes cook

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Gressingham duck (approx. 2.2kg)

½ a bulb of garlic, halved horizontally

For the glaze

3 tbsp runny honey

1 tbsp dry sherry

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1 orange, zested and juiced

5 cardamom pods, husks removed and seeds crushed

For the potatoes and sauce

1kg new potatoes, halved lengthways

½ tsp turmeric

Knob of butter

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°c or 180°c fan. Remove all the packaging from the duck along with the bag of giblets (if included).

Weigh the duck to calculate the roasting time. It will need 20 minutes per 500g plus an additional 20 minutes.

Pat the duck skin dry with a kitchen towel. Prick the skin in and around the point where the thigh meets the breast. Season well with salt and pepper inside and out and place the garlic inside the cavity.

Put the duck on a rack within a roasting tin and place in the preheated oven to roast.

Cook the potatoes for 20 minutes in boiling salted water with the turmeric.

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze by mixing the honey, sherry, pepper, orange zest, orange juice and crushed cardamom seeds together in a small pan. Gently heat until combined and keep warm.

10 minutes before the end of the cooking time, brush the duck with the warm glaze and return to the oven to finish roasting. Remove the duck once cooked and carefully transfer to a warm plate.

Leave it to rest for approximately 30 minutes while you finish the accompaniments.

Spoon off any excess fat from the roasting tin and add 200ml of hot water to the remaining juices. Bring the sauce to the boil, whisk in the knob of butter, set aside and keep warm.

Place a frying pan on a medium heat, add the cumin seeds and carefully dry fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the rapeseed oil to the pan before adding the boiled and drained potatoes. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Carve the rested duck and serve with the sauce, potatoes and your choice of greens.