Sweet-Sour Duck with Cherries

By corlear

Canard aux Cerises à l'Aigre-doux

Work time: 30-35 minutes
Cooking time: 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours

The caramel vinegar and cherries can be prepared up to 12 hours ahead and kept covered. The duck is best roasted just before serving, so the skin is crisp and golden.

Tart cherries are the key to this preparation of crisply roasted duck from the Limousin in the center of France, where cherries grow wilid in the hedgerows. A mixture of caramel and red wine vinegar, added to the pan at the end of cooking, lends the sweet-sour flavor to the sauce.

Anne says: "If fresh tart cherries are not available, you can use a 1 lb can of tart cherries packed in water."

Anne says: "Duck wing bones have no meat and are not normally served."

Ingredients

• 1 duck, weighing about 4 lb
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 3/4 lb tart cherries
• 1 1/2 cups beef or veal stock
• salt
• pepper
• 1 small bunch of watercress for decoration (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Truss the duck:
1. Wipe the inside of the duck with paper towels and season it inside and out with salt and pepper. Pull any loose bits of fat from the skin and discard them.

2. With the small knife, remove the wishbone to make the duck easier to carve.

3. Set the duck breast-side up. Push the legs back and down. Push the trussing needle into the flesh at the knee joint, through the bird and out through the other knee joint. (Hold legs of duck firmly in place while pushing through trussing needle.)

4. Turn the duck over. Pull the neck skin over the neck cavity and tuck the wing tips over it. Push the needle through one of the wings into the neck skin. Continue under the backbone of the duck to the other side. Repeat with the second wing.

5. Turn the duck onto its side. Pull the ends of the string firmly together and tie them securely.

6. Turn the duck breast-side up. Tuck the tail into the cavity of the bird and fold over the top skin. Push the needle through the skin.

7. Loop the string around one of the drumsticks, under the breastbone and over the other drumstick. Tie the ends of string together. (Trussing string keeps duck in shape so it cooks evenly.)

Roast the Duck:
1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Heat the oil in the roasting pan. Set the duck on one side and roast in the oven, 15 minutes. Turn the duck onto the opposite side and roast, another 15 minutes.

2. Spoon the fat from the roasting pan with the metal spoon and discard it.

3. Prick the duck skin all over to release the melted fat. Lower the oven temperature to 375°F. Turn the duck onto its breast, and roast it, 15 minutes longer. Discard any more melted fat.

4. Finally, set the duck on its back and continue roasting until the juices from the cavity run clear, 15-20 minutes longer. Lift the duck with the 2-pronged fork and tip it to see the color of the juices. Transfer the duck to a warmed platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Meanwhile, prepare the ingredients for the sauce.

Prepare the caramel vinegar and the cherries:
1. Put the water and sugar into the small heavy-based saucepan and heat gently until the sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally.

2. Increase the heat and boil, without stirring, until the syrup starts to turn golden around the edge, 5-8 minutes. Lower the heat and cook to a deep golden caramel, 30-60 seconds. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the bubbles subside.

3. Pour in the vinegar. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the caramel is dissolved and the mixture is reduced by half, 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

TAKE CARE! The caramel will sputter when the vinegar is added and the fumes will be strong; stand at arm's length when pouring the vinegar into the saucepan.

4. Discard any cherry stems. Pit the cherries with the pitter, or scoop out the cherry pits with the tip of a vegetable peeler. Alternatively, drain the canned cherries.

5. In a medium saucepan, combine the caramel vinegar and the beef or veal stock.

6. Add the cherries to the pan and simmer until they are just tender, 3-5 minutes for fresh cherries, 1-2 minutes for canned. Transfer the cherries to a bowl with the slotted spoon.

Finish the sauce and carve the duck:
1. Discard any fat from the roasting pan. Add the caramel vinegar and stock mixture, and bring to a boil on top of the stove, stirring to dissolve the pan juices. Simmer until the mixture is reduced by half and the liquid is will flavored, 3-5 minutes.

2. Strain the liquid back into the saucepan. With the wooden spoon, press 2/3 of the cherries through the strainer into the liquid. Add the remaining whole cherries, bring to a boil, then add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Place the duck breast-side up and discard the trussing string. Hold the bird steady with the 2-pronged fork and cut the skin between the legs and body, forcing the legs outward with the flat of the knife so the breast meat is revealed.

4. To remove the legs, tip the bird sideways and insert the fork into the thigh. Force the leg outward to break the joint, located well under the bird. Sever the leg, then repeat with the other leg.

5. Halve the leg by cutting through the joint, using the line of white fat as a guide.

6. To carve the breast, cut horizontally, just above the wing joint, through the breast meat to the bone, steadying the bird with the fork.

7. Cut long needle-shaped strips of breast meat, working the full length of the carcas, parallel to the rib cage.

8. Arrange the slices of breast meat in a fan shape at one end of a warmed serving platter and the leg pieces at the other. Spoon some of the cherry sauce over the duck.

To serve:
Decorate the duck with a bouquet of watercress, if you like, and serve at once. Serve the remaining sauce separately.