Duck à l'Orange, Crushed Potatoes

Introduction

Christmas is my favourite season: the warm fireplace against the cold outside, kitsch decorations and gifts, that oddly consumerist atmosphere that still nudges us toward kindness. And the fried things; and the decorated trees; and turkey. In honour of all that—and wanting something different and gourmet—here is a classic French dish that rhymes from start to finish with the holidays.

Instructions

For the chicken stock:

1. The day before, roast chicken feet and wings in a very hot oven on a tray with a drizzle of oil until deeply coloured, 20–30 minutes.

2. In a pot over high heat, toast the vegetable trimmings with a little oil.

3. Add the roasted chicken, deglaze the tray with hot water and scrape the fond into the pot.

4. Cover with more water if needed and simmer gently 2 hours 15 minutes until rich brown. Skim foam.

5. Strain and chill. Next day, lift off the fat and discard. Reserve the jellied stock.

For the roast duck:

1. A few hours ahead, remove the wings, neck and backbone with poultry shears and flatten the breast slightly.

2. Score the skin in a cross-hatch without cutting the meat. Season inside and out with salt, pepper and paprika; refrigerate uncovered.

3. Roast on a rack over a lined tray in a 230°C oven for 30 minutes.

4. Mix orange juice, soy, balsamic, Worcestershire, finely chopped garlic, thyme, lemon thyme, grated ginger, brown sugar and fleur de sel for the baste.

5. Turn the duck breast-down, reduce oven to 200°C and roast 40 minutes.

6. Turn breast-up again and blast at 230°C to finish the skin.

For the duck jus:

1. Roast duck bones with roughly chopped carrot, onion, leek, celery and garlic in oil 20–30 minutes until toasted.

2. Add jellied chicken stock, deglaze the roasting tray into the pot.

3. Simmer gently 1 hour until reduced by half. Strain and reduce further until glossy, about 45 minutes.

For the gastrique:

1. Caramelise sugar and water to deep amber.

2. Lower heat, add vinegar carefully, then boil 3 minutes, stirring. Reserve.

For the bigarade sauce:

1. Blanch julienned orange zest (no pith) in boiling water 3 minutes.

2. Add zest, citrus juices and 3–4 tsp gastrique to the reduced jus. Whisk in butter; season with salt and white pepper.

For the crushed potatoes:

1. Boil peeled, even-sized potato chunks in salted water until tender.

2. Drain and crush with a fork or masher, adding cooking water and oil as needed, plus pepper, nutmeg, lemon zest and parsley.

To serve:

1. Rest the duck 10 minutes, then carve.

2. Spoon crushed potatoes onto the plate, make a well and add duck.

3. Sauce with bigarade and parsley.

4. Add a simple green salad for freshness. Pair with Cabernet Sauvignon or Alicante Bouschet.