Duck l'Orange

....the family left for Ohio, but before they left, I made them duck. Now, duck isn't something I have ever made, mostly because a) they aren't common in my market and b) they are $3 a lb. Being notoriously thrifty....I have always had problems paying a lot of money for a bird that, for all intents, is not much different to me than the ones that I can get for less than $1lb. Of course, some would weigh in that those birds are cruelly mass-produced.

Jason: Chickens are mass-produced.
Me: They are cheap, and taste pretty decent.
Jason: They are raised in a cruel fashion.
Me: I was too...and believe a predator would find me tasty regardless.

Ethics aside...the market didn't sell enough ducks this week, so I was able to buy one at 1/2 price. I decided to stuff it with a broccoli, wheat bread, pine nut mixture.

Stuffing: Blanch some broccoli, cube some wheat bread, add some pine nuts and parmesan.

Duck: Stuff it. Lightly score the skin with a sharp knife...this will allow this fatty bird to drain. Place on a rack in your pan, and cook at 425 for 30 minutes, and 375 for 1 to 1.5 hours.

Sauce: 2 cups juice of orange juice (clementines are primo), the zest of 2, and 2/3 cup sugar. Combine over high heat, and reduce over 1/2 to make a syrup.

Serve: I put mine on a bed of red quinoa (Trader Joes again) with some broccoli before covering with the orange sauce.

I thought it was tender, juicy and not fatty, and the family must have also, as it went in one sitting. Maybe later I'll tell you how I made the carcass into duck soup...and thought of Groucho Marx all day.