Roast Duck with Apricots and Juniper Berries

roast, duck, apricots, juniper

Ingredients:

3 cups water 2 5-30 juniper berries, gently crushed 1 5 lb duck; heart, liver, gizzard and neck reserved 5 large fresh thyme sprigs 1 bay leaf 15-25 large dried apricots (about 10 ounces) 2 Tbs red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Put 3 cups of water, 20 juniper berries and pinch of salt to boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Set broth aside.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut wing tips from duck and set aside. Season cavity of duck with salt and pepper. Place heart, liver, and gizzard in cavity, then 10 juniper berries, 4 thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Tie legs together to hold shape. Place duck, breast side up, in roasting pan. Add wing tips and neck to pan. Pour 1 cup juniper broth over duck. Roast duck in center of oven, about 30 minutes, until it begins to brown.

Meanwhile, bring remaining juniper broth to boil. Add apricots; cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until apricots are soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer apricots to a small bowl.

Spoon off 1/2 cup fat from top of liquid in roasting pan, tilting pan. Pour 1/2 cup apricot liquid over duck. Turn duck, breast side down. Pour 1/2 cup apricot liquid over duck. Return to oven; roast 15 minutes. Turn duck, breast side up. Arrange apricots around duck; spoon pan juices over apricots. Drizzle vinegar over duck. Return to oven and roast duck until skin is crisp, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer to cutting board, breast side down; let duck rest 20 minutes.

Discard wing tips and neck. Transfer apricots to bowl. Pour pan juices into medium saucepan and spoon off fat. Add the thyme sprig and boil until juices are reduced to 1 1/4 cups and thickened slightly, stirring occasionally, about 7-8 minutes. Return apricots to juices to rewarm and season with salt and pepper. Turn duck, breast side up. Cut legs from duck. Cut off wings with some breast attached. Cut breasts from duck and thinly slice crosswise. Spoon juices with apricots over duck and enjoy!