This festive roast mallard recipe delivers a sophisticated yet homey meal perfect for holiday gatherings. The gamey richness of the farm-raised duck is balanced by the sweetness of parsnips and carrots, while a vibrant sauce made from cranberry juice, red wine, and poached Bosc pears adds a bright, fruity counterpoint. The duck is roasted until the skin is crisp and the meat remains moist and slightly pink, ensuring maximum flavor. This dish combines earthy root vegetables with luxurious poultry, making it an impressive yet approachable main course for Christmas or New Year’s Eve dinners. Serve with the reduced cranberry-pear sauce for a complete, gourmet experience that feels both traditional and refined.
Roast Mallard With Root Vegetables – Country Living Holid
Description
This festive roast mallard recipe delivers a sophisticated yet homey meal perfect for holiday gatherings. The gamey richness of the farm-raised duck is balanced by the sweetness of parsnips and carrots, while a vibrant sauce made from cranberry juice, red wine, and poached Bosc pears adds a bright, fruity counterpoint. The duck is roasted until the skin is crisp and the meat remains moist and slightly pink, ensuring maximum flavor. This dish combines earthy root vegetables with luxurious poultry, making it an impressive yet approachable main course for Christmas or New Year's Eve dinners. Serve with the reduced cranberry-pear sauce for a complete, gourmet experience that feels both traditional and refined.Ingredients
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 400&# 194;°F (204ðC).
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In a 4-quart saucepan, heat 2 inches of water to boiling. Add peeled carrots and parsnips, cover, and return to boiling. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes to partially cook.
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Remove the root vegetables with a slotted spoon to a small baking pan. Set aside the pan of cooking water.
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Add olive oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to the vegetables in the pan; toss to coat and set aside.
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Remove necks, giblets, and any excess fat from the cavities of the two 3-lb farm-raised mallard ducks. Rinse the ducks, necks, and giblets, then pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels.
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To the reserved pan of vegetable cooking water, add the duck necks and giblets along with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.
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Heat the broth to boiling, then cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. Strain and discard the solids, keeping the liquid for the sauce if desired, or discard.
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Quarter 2 small apples. Insert 2 apple quarters into the neck and body cavities of each duck to keep them moist. Twist the wings back and under the ducks to hold the neck skin in place.
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Tie the legs of each duck together with kitchen twine. Using a fork, pierce the breast skin several times to help render the fat.
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Arrange the ducks breast-side down on a wire rack set inside a large roasting pan.
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Roast the ducks for 15 minutes alongside the pan of root vegetables.
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Turn the ducks over so they are breast-side up. Continue roasting for 15 to 25 minutes longer, or until the breast meat is set but still red and moist when cut into the center of the thickest part.
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Meanwhile, in a 2-quart saucepan, combine 1 cup cranberry juice cocktail, 1/2 cup dry red wine, 3/4 cup sugar, and 8 whole cloves. Heat to boiling.
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Add 2 peeled, halved, and cored Bosc pears to the saucepan. Cover and return to boiling. Simmer over low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, or just until the pears are fork-tender.
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Transfer the pears to a plate and keep warm. Strain the remaining cranberry-wine mixture to remove cloves and solids.
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Let the ducks rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with the roasted root vegetables, poached pears, and the strained cranberry sauce.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 62.0kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 0.3g1%
- Saturated Fat 0.0g0%
- Cholesterol 0.0mg0%
- Sodium 104.4mg5%
- Total Carbohydrate 15.1g6%
- Dietary Fiber 4.2g17%
- Sugars 7.1g
- Protein 1.4g3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
The original ingredient list was fragmented; ensure you have 2 whole 3-lb farm-raised mallard ducks, 1 lb small peeled carrots, 1 lb small peeled parsnips, 2 small apples, 2 Bosc pears, 1 cup cranberry juice cocktail, 1/2 cup dry red wine, 3/4 cup sugar, 8 whole cloves, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp ground black pepper.
For the sauce, you can reduce the strained liquid further on the stovetop to achieve a thicker glaze consistency if preferred.
Duck is best served medium-rare. If you prefer well-done duck, increase the roasting time by 10-15 minutes, but watch closely to avoid drying out the breast meat.
To make a pan sauce, deglaze the roasting pan with a splash of water or broth after removing the ducks, scraping up any browned bits, and combine with the cranberry sauce.
