Duck

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Soak raisins in honey and red wine vinegar for 30 minutes. Place in a food processor and blend to make a paste. Push this paste under the skin of the duck. Rub outside of duck with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and chopped herbs. Place in roasting pan and roast at 350°F for about 4 1/2 to 5 hours. To test for doneness, grab anklebone of duck with a towel between index finger and thumb and twist. If bone rolls in skin, it is ready. Remove duck from oven and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.

Gingersnap Gravy

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil and sauté bacon until crisp. Add onions and cook until caramelized. Add bay leaf, ginger and molasses; simmer 3 minutes. Pour in stock and reduce by 1/3 or until sauce coats back of a spoon. Crumble in cookies. Remove from heat and allow cookies to steep for 10 minutes. Pass through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean saucepan; reserve.

Rice Dressing

Preheat oven to 250°F. Heat oil in a large, heavy bottom pot and sear ground pork. Add chopped onions, garlic and bay leaves and cook until onions are softened. Season mixture with coriander, cumin and cayenne. Add rice and sauté, coating it with oil and onions until lightly toasted. Pour in chicken stock and bring to a simmer; cover and place in oven at 250°F for 20 minutes. Remove and toss in sliced scallions.

Brussels Sprouts

Cut base of Brussels sprouts and remove leaves. Cut base again pulling off more leaves until all leaves are removed. Just before ready to serve, melt butter in a medium sautépan over medium heat; add garlic and lemon juice and cook for 2 minutes. Add raw Brussels sprout leaves and cook for about 1 minute.

To Serve

Remove backbone and neck from duck. Carve into leg, thigh, breast and wing portions. Place a portion of rice onto each individual serving plate and then a piece of duck. Ladle a spoonful of sauce over duck and top with a few Brussels sprout leaves.

Ingredients

Duck

  • 3/4 Cup California raisins
  • 1/4 Cup honey
  • 1/4 Cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 whole roasting duck (about 4 pounds)
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped herbs (rosemary, thyme and parsley mixed)

Procedure

Gingersnap Gravy

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 Slices bacon (about 2 ounces each), sliced 1/4-inch thick and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 onions (about 2 cups), cut into 1-inch dice
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 Teaspoons freshly grated gingerroot
  • 1/4 Cup molasses
  • 2 Cups dark, rich chicken stock or duck stock
  • 3 to 5 gingersnap cookies

Rice Dressing

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 Cup ground pork
  • 1 yellow onion (about 1 cup), cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1 Teaspoon chopped garlic (about 2 small cloves)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 Teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 Teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 Teaspoon ground cayenne
  • 2 Cups raw basmati rice
  • 3 Cups chicken stock
  • 1 bunch scallions, green and white portions sliced thin (about 6 to 8 scallions)

Brussels Sprouts

  • 1 Pound Brussels spouts
  • 4 Tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
  • 1 Teaspoon minced garlic
  • 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories 1520 (Calories from Fat 68%); Total Fat 115 ( Saturated Fat 39; Trans Fat 0; ); Cholesterol 205; Sodium 800; Potassium 1266; Total Carbohydrate 84; Dietary Fiber 5; Sugars 32; Protein 41; Calcium 122; Iron 9;

Try Another Recipe

Honey-roasted Duckling Spiked with Tabasco, California Raisins and Guajillo Chile Sauce

All Recipes

There are many more ways to use raisins for healthy cooking. Take a look at our recipe page for more delicious dishes.
View All Recipes
5. A ¼ cup serving of raisins provides 6% of the daily value for potassium.