Roast Duck with Smoked Sea Salt and Cranberry-Cherry Sauce
By: Pamela Steed Hill
Published: Monday, December 26, 2011 - 4:36pm

Ingredients




For the Roast Duck
1 4 1/2-5 lb duck, giblets removed, rinsed and patted dry
smoked sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 small onion, quartered
2 celery ribs, each cut into 3 pieces
3 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed
For the Cranberry-Cherry Sauce
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup chopped, pitted bing cherries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1 Preheat the oven to 325° F. 2 Score the skin and fat layer of the duck with a sharp knife, being careful not to cut into the meat just below the fat. 3 Rub the outside and cavity generously with smoked salt and pepper. Place the duck breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan and scatter the onion and celery pieces in the bottom of the pan. Pour in the chicken broth. 4 Roast the duck until medium-done, about 2 hours. Use a meat thermometer to check for a reading of 145° F. (Add more chicken broth to the pan during roasting if it becomes dry.) Remove the duck to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes before carving. 5 Meanwhile, combine the cranberries, cherries, sugar, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the cranberries pop and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. 6 Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the vinegar. Let cool 10 minutes. 7 Place the sauce in a food processor and process until smooth. Return to the saucepan, season with salt and pepper, and keep warm until ready to use. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Rewarm gently before serving.) 8 To serve, carve and divide the duck among 4 plates. Spoon the cranberry-cherry sauce on top.

About

Smoked sea salt is available in spice shops or online. As the name implies, it adds a deliciously smoky flavor as it melts into meat and poultry. Add freshly ground black pepper for all the seasoning you need.
Note: If you prefer your duck cooked rare, remove it from the oven when a thermometer reads 135° F.