Lyndey Milan's Roast Duck with Roasted Cherries

Method

1. Tuck the wing tips under the duck. Tie the legs together with string. Combine the garlic, onion, 1 cup wine, stock, water and orange peel in a large stockpot or pan and bring to the boil. Place duck into the boiling liquid, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Turn and simmer for another 25 minutes. Remove the duck from the pan; cover and refrigerate. Strain the stock mixture into a large bowl or jug. Cover and refrigerate until cold.
2. Preheat the oven to hot (220˚C). Place the duck on a rack in a baking dish, breast side down. Pierce skin all over with a metal skewer or fork and roast for 30 minutes. Turn duck, pierce skin, roast another 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 200˚C. Remove from rack, discard fat and replace duck on the tray with the cherries. Return to oven for another 20 minutes or until duck is brown and crisp. Rest in a warm place covered loosely with foil.
3. Meanwhile, remove solidified fat from top of stock mixture. Return stock mixture to a saucepan. Add remaining wine, strained orange juice and jelly and boil, uncovered, until thickened and sauce-like, approx. 10 minutes (thicken with cornflour if required).
4. Cut the duck into quarters; serve with cherries and sauce.

Lyndey's note: If cherries are not in season, use canned cherries. Add them, including the syrup from the tin to the sauce mixture, but do not use the redcurrant jelly.