Magnificent! Both the duck and sauce can be made in advance. The final glazing is best done about 30 minutes before serving. –Beach Plum Inn, Menemsha (Martha’s Vineyard), Massachusetts
Yield:
Serves 6.Ingredients
2 ducks (4-1/2 to 5 pounds each)
2 teaspoons coarse (kosher) salt
1 cup fresh orange juice (from 2 to 3 oranges)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder, or to taste
1-1/2 cups honey
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 bunch watercress, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Rinse the ducks inside and out, drain, and pat dry. Tie the legs together. Place the ducks side by side on a large rack in a large, deep roasting pan. Using a sharp fork, prick the skin about 1/4 inch deep all over. Sprinkle each duck with 1 teaspoon of the coarse salt. Roast on the center rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and continue to roast for 1 hour and 35 minutes, removing excess fat as it collects. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, lemon juice, wine, and garlic. Cook over moderate heat until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Stir in the curry powder, honey, and hot pepper sauce; continue to cook until the sauce is reduced by about one-third to the consistency of a thick syrup, about 25 minutes. Strain into a clean saucepan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Thirty minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Reheat the sauce. Split the ducks in half lengthwise and arrange skin side up in a large baking pan. Brush the ducks with 1/3 cup of the warm sauce and roast, basting often, until the skin is crisp and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes. Carve the ducks into smaller serving pieces and arrange on a serving platter. Garnish with watercress. Pass the remaining sauce separately.
