LIGHTS
FANCY
of140 DECEMBER 2018
Juniper-Rubbed Roast
Duck with Cherry Jus
PHOTO P. 118
ACTIVE 1 HR 10 MIN; TOTAL 21 HR 45 MIN
SERVES 4Angie Mar models her roast duck on the
one her father made every Christmas.
After a salt cure, he’ d slow-roast the bird
until it resembled the crisp-skinned,
mahogany-hued ducks that hang in the
windows in Chinatown. Mar rubs her ver-
sion with crushed juniper berries, which
can be found in the spice aisle and impart
a fresh, woodsy flavor. She serves the
duck with a rich sauce of reduced duck
broth and tart cherries— a nod to the
cherry trees in the Pacific Northwest
where she grew up—and a kirsch flambé
for a showstopping holiday centerpiece.
For instructions on flaming alcohol safely,
see p. 120.1 (5- to 5^1 / 2 -lb.) Pekin duck (aka Long
Island duck), with giblets and neck
2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. dark brown sugar,
divided
2 Tbsp. plus^1 / 2 tsp. kosher salt,
divided
1 Tbsp. juniper berries, finely
crushed
1 medium-size yellow onion,
quartered
1 small carrot, peeled and cut
crosswise into 2-inch pieces
1 celery stalk, cut crosswise into
2-inch pieces
2 tsp. vegetable oil
4 cups cold water, divided
4 bunches fresh thyme, divided
2 Tbsp. kirsch (cherry brandy)
3 / 4 cup frozen pitted tart cherries
3 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into(^1) / 2 -inch pieces
- Using a sharp knife or poultry shears,
cut off last 2 joints of duck wings; set
aside for broth. Trim and discard excess
skin around neck cavity. Remove neck
and giblets from cavity; reserve for broth.
Reach into cavity; pull away any fat
deposits, and discard. Using a metal or
wooden skewer, prick skin of duck all over
at a 45 degree angle, taking care not to
pierce the meat.- Stir together 2 tablespoons brown
sugar, 2 tablespoons salt, and juniper ber-
ries in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon
brown sugar mixture inside cavity of
duck, and rub remaining mixture over
skin. Place duck on a nonreactive wire
rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet,
and chill, uncovered, 18 to 24 hours. - While duck chills, preheat oven to
375°F. Chop reserved wing tips and neck
into 2-inch pieces. Place on a rimmed
baking sheet with onion, carrot, and cel-
ery; add oil and^1 / 4 teaspoon salt, and toss
to coat. Spread in a single layer, and roast
in preheated oven, stirring occasionally,
until well browned, about 55 minutes. Add
1 cup cold water to baking sheet, stirring
and scraping up browned bits from bot-
tom of pan. Transfer mixture to a large
saucepan; add reserved heart and giz-
zards. (Save liver for another use.) Stir in
remaining 3 cups cold water and 2 thyme
sprigs from 1 bunch. Bring mixture just to
a simmer over medium-low. Partially
cover, and simmer very gently (do not
boil) until reduced to 1^1 / 2 cups, 1 hour and
30 minutes to 2 hours, skimming and dis-
carding any foam that accumulates on
surface. Pour mixture through a fine wire-
mesh strainer over a bowl; discard solids.
Chill broth until ready to use. - Preheat oven to 250°F with oven racks
in lowest and middle positions. Let duck
stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
Pour water to a depth of^3 / 4 inch in a large
baking pan, and place on lowest oven
rack. Transfer duck, breast side up, to a
roasting rack set inside a deep, aluminum
foil–lined roasting pan; insert 2 bunches
of thyme into main cavity. Prick skin all
over once again with a skewer to ensure
rendering. Place roasting pan on middle
oven rack, and roast at 250°F until a
meat thermometer inserted in thigh and
thickest part of breast registers 145°F,
about 1 hour and 30 minutes. (Breast may
take longer to register 145°F.) Remove
roasting pan; drain and discard cavity
juices and drippings in pan. Remove
water pan from oven, and increase oven
temperature to 450°F. - Once oven has preheated to 450°F,
return duck in drained roasting pan to
middle oven rack. Roast until skin is dark
and crisp, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile,
skim fat off surface of chilled duck broth,
and discard. Transfer skimmed broth to a
small saucepan, and bring to a simmer
over medium. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon
brown sugar. Cook until reduced to^1 / 3 cup,
about 20 minutes. Stir in remaining^1 / 4
teaspoon salt; set aside, and keep warm.- Remove roasting rack with duck from
roasting pan. Drain and discard foil and
drippings from pan; wipe pan clean.
Return roasting rack with duck to roasting
pan; set on a heatproof surface, and let
rest 15 minutes. Remove and discard
thyme in cavity. Quickly run remaining 2
bunches thyme under water to dampen;
stuff damp thyme into cavity. - Place kirsch in a heatproof measuring
cup with a spout. Heat a small saucepan
over medium until warm, about 30 sec-
onds. Remove saucepan from heat, turn
off burner, and pour in kirsch. Using a
utility lighter, carefully ignite fumes just
above surface of kirsch. Slowly and care-
fully pour flaming liquid over duck. Once
flames extinguish, transfer duck to a
cutting board. Pour residual kirsch from
roasting pan into reduced broth. Add
frozen cherries, and cook over medium,
stirring occasionally, until cherries are
heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove
from heat. Swirl in butter until emulsified.
Carve duck, and serve with sauce.
WINE Savory, cherry-inflected Pinot Noir:
2016 Alma Rosa El Jabali
Buttermilk-Marinated Quail
with Herbed Raita and Blood
Oranges
PHOTO P. 114
ACTIVE 35 MIN; TOTAL 8 HR 35 MIN
SERVES 4 TO 8Sizzling broiled quail, spiced with toasty
garam masala, are served with creamy
herbed raita and cooling, jeweled blood
orange supremes for a stunning dinner
party appetizer or main course. All of the
components may be prepped ahead of
time, leaving only the last-minute broiling
and plating of the dish.1 bunch fresh cilantro (about 2
packed cups)
1 bunch fresh mint (about^3 / 4 packed
cup)
1 cup buttermilk
8 garlic cloves, peeled
2 medium Indian green chiles or
serrano chiles, stems removed
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
and sliced into^1 / 4 -inch rounds
1 Tbsp. ground toasted cumin
1 Tbsp. ground corianderCOOK
THE
COVERFLIGHTS OF FANCY from p. 120