Ducks are a truly wonderful creature, right up there with pigs in my book. I've been meaning to roast a duck forever, and last night I finally got around to it.
This duck came from my local Asian grocery. It seemed a little small (very different from the plump European style duck that I'm more accustomed to) but in my mind it seemed perfect for two people.
The cavity of my duck was stuffed with all sorts of lovely giblets; a nice big neck, a couple gizzards, heart and liver. Some of those bits are destined for duck soup, but the liver is getting marinated then sauteed in duck fat as a special treat.
Simple is the way to go when roasting a duck. Poke holes in the skin to allow the fat to drip out, and use more salt than it looks like you probably need.
Into a waiting 325 degree oven, which I checked every 15-20 minutes. Once it started to brown I made a quick glaze (honey, sriracha, soy) and brushed it all over. The duck went back into a now 425 degree oven to finish crisping.
I served just the breast, which to be honest was not enough. The breast was thin, and not quite juicy enough, and the skin was not the desired level of crisp.
Alongside some sticky rice, steamed bok ckoy and some daikon sprouts it was a pretty good dinner. Definitely room for improvement, which is never a bad thing because that means there is more duck in my future.