Long Island Duck with Grapefruit
Submitted by francelia
Roasted Long Island duck with a gastrique sauce made from caramelized sugar, red wine vinegar, and duck stock, garnished with fresh grapefruit sections. A refined, restaurant-level dish.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
2 hrsThis is a showpiece duck recipe that starts four days before you serve it. The ducks sit uncovered in the refrigerator, drying out the skin so it renders and crisps properly during a high-heat roast. That patience pays off in shatteringly crisp skin over succulent meat.
The sauce is a classic gastrique: sugar caramelized until golden, hit with red wine vinegar (careful, it sputters), then simmered with duck stock and grapefruit peels. The result is a glossy, bittersweet sauce with citrus perfume that cuts through the duck’s richness beautifully.
Once carved, the breasts and leg-thigh pieces rest on a pool of that sauce with overlapping grapefruit sections fanned on top. Alongside, an assortment of blanched vegetables, like green beans, asparagus, or julienned carrots tied in leek bundles, turns the plate into something truly special.
Pro Tips
- The 4-day refrigerator dry is key. Skip it and the skin will be flabby instead of crisp. Make sure the duck is uncovered so moisture can escape.
- Trim all excess fat from the cavity and neck area before roasting. The less fat trapped against the skin, the crispier it renders.
- When making the gastrique, watch the sugar closely. It goes from golden to burnt in seconds. Have the vinegar measured and ready to pour.
- Carve the duck on a cutting board with a groove to catch juices. Use a sharp, thin-bladed knife to separate breast from carcass cleanly.
Variations
- Orange version: Swap grapefruit for navel oranges for a classic duck à l’orange presentation.
- Asian glaze: Replace the vinegar with rice wine vinegar and add a splash of soy sauce and grated ginger to the gastrique.
- Honey gastrique: Use honey instead of sugar for a deeper, floral sweetness in the sauce.
Ingredients
Directions
Note: An assortment of blanched vegetables should be used as garnish for this dish. You might consider using green beans, asparagus, broccoli, or julienne of carrots, zucchini, turnips, tied into bundles with strips of blanched leek Place the duck, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 4 days to dry out the skin. Preheat the oven to 500 F. Cut off the tail and excess neck skin from the ducks and remove all excess fat. Place the ducks, breasts up on a rack in a roasting pan. Tuck wing tips under. Roast until crisp and well browned, about 1 hour. With a sharp paring knife, remove a thin slice from the top and bottom of each grapefruit, then remove the skin of the fruit in long strips. Set aside. Cutting between the membrane, cut the grapefruit into sections and set aside. Place the sugar and wine vinegar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium high heat until the vinegar has evaporated and the sugar has caramelized lightly. Carefully add the stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer at low boil for 5 minutes. Add grapefruit skins to the mixture and simmer 3 minutes longer. Strain the mixture into a clean saucepan and simmer until reduced enough to coat a spoon lightly. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and keep it warm. Transfer the duck to a work surface. Run a sharp knife under the wishbone at the front of the duck’s breast, then carefully slip the knife between each breast half and carcass. Remove the breasts, and then take off the legs and thighs in one piece. Lightly coat a warm serving plate with the sauce. Place the duck over the sauce and arrange the grapefruit sections, overlapping, on top. Garnish with blanched vegetables as desired, and serve, passing the rest of the sauce around separately.
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