1 large, fresh duck, approx 2kg in weight, including the liver
300ml red wine
300ml chicken stock
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
1 large orange
100g dried apricots
100g dried figs
2 bay leaves
1tsp arrowroot
4 slices bread
Parsley
50g butter
Salt and pepper
1 Joint the fresh duck, first remove the legs.
2 Remove the breasts.
3 Trim away all the excess fat.
4 Cut into even sized pieces.
5 Fry the seasoned joints in a hot pan until the skin has coloured. Place in a deep casserole pan.
6 Meanwhile, slice an onion, an orange and crush two cloves of garlic. Put these in the casserole.
7 Add the apricots, the fig and the bay leaves.
8 Add the stock and then the red wine.
9 Bring to the boil.
10 Cover and place in a moderate oven 180C/gas mark four for two hours.
11 When the casserole is nearly cooked fry the liver in the butter.
12 Trim the bread to make large croutons.
13 Fry in the same pan in which you fried the duck.
14 Chop the liver.
15 Mix with the butter, add a little chopped parsley. Spread on to the croutons.
16 Remove the duck from the oven, bring the casserole to the boil and finally thicken the sauce with a teaspoon of diluted arrowroot. Serve to the table and accompany with parsnip, potato or celeriac puree.
