Roast Mallard with Root Vegetables- Country
Roast duck with root vegetables and wine-poached pears in a cranberry-red wine pan sauce. A refined country-style dinner with carrots, parsnips, and a buttery fruit sauce.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
30 minREADY
40 minThis is a proper country duck dinner with all the trimmings. Whole ducks roasted breast-side-down on a rack so the fat bastes the breast meat, surrounded by par-cooked carrots and parsnips that caramelize in the oven alongside the birds. Meanwhile, Bosc pears poach in cranberry juice, red wine, and whole cloves on the stovetop, building the base for a stunning pan sauce.
Apple quarters stuffed into the cavities aren’t for eating. They steam from the inside, keeping the meat moist and adding a subtle fruity perfume to the duck as it roasts. They get discarded after cooking, but they’ve done their job.
The pan sauce is where this recipe really comes together. Giblet broth, drippings scraped from the roasting pan, and the pear poaching liquid all reduce into a syrupy, cranberry-wine sauce. Cold butter stirred in at the very end gives it a glossy, velvety finish. That butter needs to go in off the boil, swirled gently. Boiling will break the emulsion and turn your sauce greasy.
Chef Tips
- Pierce the breast skin with a fork before roasting. This lets the thick layer of subcutaneous fat render out instead of staying rubbery under the skin.
- Start the ducks breast-side down and flip them. This bastes the breast in rendered fat during the first half of cooking, keeping the lean meat juicy.
- The duck breast should still be red and moist in the center. Overcooked duck breast is dry and livery. Pull it while it’s still pink.
- Make the giblet broth while the root vegetables par-cook. The timing overlaps perfectly.
Variations
- Port sauce: Replace the red wine with ruby port for a sweeter, more dessert-forward sauce.
- Turnip addition: Add peeled turnip chunks to the root vegetables for a more rustic, earthy side.
- Wild duck: If using actual wild mallard, reduce roasting time significantly as wild birds are leaner and smaller.
Ingredients
Directions
- In 4-quart saucepan, heat 2 inches water to boiling. Add carrots and parsnips; cover and return water to boiling.
Simmer root vegetables over low heat 15 minutes to partially cook.
Remove root vegetables with slotted spoon to a small baking pan (Set aside pan of cooking water.
) Add oil, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper to vegetables; toss and set aside.
- Remove necks, giblets, and discard any fat from duck cavities. Rinse ducks, necks, and giblets; pat dry.
To reserved pan of cooking water, add necks and giblets of ducks and remaining salt and pepper.
Heat to boiling; simmer covered, over low heat 45 minutes.
- Heat oven to 400’F. Insert 2 apple quarters into neck and body cavities of each duck; twist wings back and under ducks to hold neck skin in place.
Tie legs of each duck together.
With fork, pierce breast skin.
Arrange ducks, breast sides down, on wire rack in large roasting pan.
Roast ducks 15 minutes with pan of root vegetables.
Turn ducks and continue to roast 15 to 25 minutes longer or until breast meat is set but still red and moist when cut in the center of the thickest part.
- Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat cranberry juice, wine, Add pears; cover and return to boiling. Simmer pears over low heat 7 to 10 minutes or just until fork tender. Transfer pears to plate. Strain and reserve 3 /4 cup pear poaching liquid.
- Drain juices from body cavities of ducks into roasting pan. Discard apple quarters. Transfer ducks and root vegetables to platter; cover and keep warm. Pour giblet broth into roasting pan; heat to boiling, stirring to loosen browned-on bits. Strain broth mixture into large measuring cup; discard fat on top and pour ¾ cup broth into skillet. Add onion and cook over high heat 1 minute. Add ¾ cup reserved pear poaching liquid. Boil rapidly until mixture is reduced to about 2 /3 cup or a syrupy consistency. Turn heat to low and add butter, stirring until it blends in. Pour sauce into a pitcher. Serve with pears.
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