Traditional Roast Duck

Ingredients:

1.5kg duck (allow 350g per person)
stuffing or forcemeat mixture (optional)
salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Method:

Wash and dry the bird then clean the cavity with a clean, damp cloth. Stuff the bird at the tail end (wrap the stuffing in parchment paper before inserting) then truss as for chicken (but do not draw the wings across the back). Prick the skin all over with a fine skewer then sprinkle the breasts liberally with salt and black pepper.

Place on a trivet in a roasting tin then transfer to oven pre-heated to 180�B0;C and roast for 45 minutes per kg. Allow to rest for 15 minutes (covered with foil) before carving. The fat makes excellent gravy and any excess should be kept to make roast potatoes. Serve with new potatoes, peas and apple sauce and a gravy made from the fat. This also goes well with a Brigarade sauce