Duck roast with red wine

Although we love to order duck when we eat out, but cooking duck at home seems like a daunting task. In reality it is not an insurmountable task to cook duck in our own modest kitchens. So next time you throw a dinner party at home you can display your culinary skills by cooking duck.  

Duck meat is considered as “white” meat and is packed with essential nutrients like protein, vitamins, iron, zinc etc.and hence it is considered to be a much healthy alternative to pork or beef. It also has its own distinct aroma and flavor and goes well with both fruits as well as vegetables. The natural dark red color of duck meat will add an attractive and appetizing look to your dinner table.

There are various ways to cook duck but roasted duck is one of the most preferred recipes for a home cooked meal. This is a perfectly roasted dish with carefully chosen duck pieces and infused with herbs and spices which will give out a wonderful aroma to tantalize all your senses.

The below recipe uses the leg portions of a duck which will yield 4 servings of two legs for each portion.

Preparation time: 10 minutes.

Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Difficulty level: Medium

You will need :

8 pieces of duck legs, 

1 tbsp of mixed spices, 

1 bottle red wine, 

3 tbsp raspberry sauce, 

6 garlic gloves,

A bunch of rosemary herb.

Coat a roasting tray with the rosemary and garlic cloves. Pre-heat the oven to about 200° F and place the duck legs inside the tray. Set the oven to roast.

Place a pan on the gas and simmer the wine and raspberry sauce till it yields a consistent texture.

Remove the roasted duck legs from the oven after 1 hour and scoop the fat away with a spoon. 

Now layer the duck legs with the wine mixture and return to the oven for another 15 minutes of roasting till the sauce is thickened and absorbed by the meat. 

Remove from the oven and enjoy your roasted duck with a salad, mashed potatoes or sauteed vegetables on the side. 

Glazed turnips with potatoes are the side dish that the French prefer with their roasted duck.

Tips: Because of the distinctive flavor of duck meat, you can experiment with different sauces. Try balsamic, wild berries, redcurrants, apricots, oranges or any other sauce that you like.

Marinating the meat in the sauce overnight will help the juices to enter the meat, making it more tender and succulent.