Roasted Whole Silver Hill Duck with Port Cranberry Sauce

Serves 4

2.2kg Silver Hill Whole Duck

Salt, to rub

2 large carrots or 2 parsnips or onions, halved (for a trivet)

For the cavity 

2 clementines, sliced in half

Bunch of rosemary

2 sprigs bay leaves

2 star anise

For the glaze

80ml maple syrup

½ tsp ground cinnamon

Dash of nutmeg

120ml fresh orange juice

3 tbsp port

For the port cranberry sauce

3 shallots, finely chopped

200ml cranberry juice

100ml chicken stock

100ml fresh orange juice

60ml port

A small sprig of rosemary

Sprig of fresh thyme, finely shredded

1 piece of fresh orange peel

2 tbsp arrowroot, to thicken

Sprigs of bay leaves, to garnish

Clementine halves, to garnish

Redcurrants, to garnish

To prepare the whole duck, fold the neck flap over and secure with a cocktail stick or a metal skewer.

Place the clementine halves, rosemary, bay and star anise into the cavity and close with a cocktail stick or small skewer.

Rub salt over the duck.

Score the duck breast with a sharp knife.

Place the whole duck into a large roasting tray and carefully pour over about 2 litres of boiling water.

Leave for 4 minutes until the skin has tightened.

Take it out the water, pat dry and place back into the fridge, uncovered for a least 5 hours, preferably leave it overnight.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5.

To prepare the glaze, combine all the ingredients together in a saucepan except for the orange juice, simmer for 4 minutes over a low heat. Remove and add the orange juice.

To cook the duck, place on a rack or trivet or carrot halves ready for roasting.

Generously spoon / brush the glaze onto the duck.

Roast for ½ hour, then spoon more glaze over and lower the temperature to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4 and roast for a further 50 minutes.

Keep basing the duck with the glaze.

Depending on the weight of the duck, you may need to roast for longer.

If the wing tips are browning too fast, cover them in foil.

For the sauce, heat a saucepan with a little oil, add the shallots, rosemary and orange peel and sauté. Then add the cranberry juice, chicken stock, orange juice and port, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to a low simmer for about 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and sieve.

Transfer the sauce back on the heat, mix together arrowroot and 2 tbsp water into a paste and pour into the sauce, keep stirring until it thickens.

Set aside until ready to serve.

To check that the duck is done, insert a thermometer in the thickest part, the reading should be 74°C.

Cover and leave to rest for 15 minutes.

Transfer to a platter. 

To garnish, arrange sprigs of bay leaves, rosemary, clementine halves and redcurrants around the duck.

Serve with port cranberry sauce, roast potatoes, roast butternut squash with pomegranate and other favourite festive dishes.