If you are looking to break away from the traditional roast turkey Christmas dinner, but you don’t want to disappoint family members who look forward to Christmas as usual, then you should try this delicious recipe for Orange Duck. The taste and texture of roast duck infused with the tanginess of orange is a mouth-watering combination. A perfect way to mix things up a little while maintaining the tradition of a celebratory Christmas dinner table.

Ingredients
1 duck, oven ready (we used a 2kg Silverhill whole duck)
Salt & pepper
1 orange
Water

For the sticky glaze
Water
1 orange
2 tsp light brown sugar
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp butter

For the orange sauce
Cooking juices
200ml Carol’s Stock Market Turkey Bone Broth or Chicken Stock
150ml dry white wine
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp butter
Salt & pepper

To garnish
Fresh rosemary sprigs
1 orange, sliced

Serves
4-5

Method
Pre-heat oven to 160°C / 140°C fan / gas 3. Place the duck on a rack set over a roasting tin, season well with salt and pepper.

Halve one of the oranges and squeeze some of the juice into the duck cavity and the roasting tin, then stuff the cavity with both of the halves.

Pour 100ml water into the tin then roast in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes per 500g (about 1 hour 20 minutes).

Increase oven temperature to 220°C / 200°C fan / gas 7 then continue roasting until the duck skin is crispy and golden, about 15 minutes.

While the duck is cooking prepare the sticky orange glaze. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Use a peeler to peel of strips of orange zest from the orange (keep the orange). Add the zest to the water then lower to a simmer and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Drain the water away then cut the orange into thin strips, set aside.

In the same small saucepan, stir together the sugar and balsamic vinegar. Juice the reserved orange and add to the saucepan along with the butter. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce to a simmer and cook until reduced by half and it is dark and syrupy. Remove from heat and stir in the reserved strips of orange zest.

Once the duck is cooked, remove from the oven and transfer the duck onto a board then cover with tinfoil to keep warm while resting.

While the duck is resting, make the orange sauce. Spoon off the fat from the roasting tin (you can keep this for roasting potatoes) and pour the cooking juices into a large shallow saucepan. Add the stock and bring to a boil.

Add the wine then reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add half of the sticky orange glaze and stir well.

In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with 2 tsp of water to make a smooth paste, add this to the sauce while stirring. Simmer for a few more minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste, then off the heat, stir in the butter. Keep warm until ready to serve.

To serve, transfer the duck to a serving plate then brush the remaining sticky orange glaze over the duck. Garnish with rosemary and orange slices and serve with the warm orange gravy.