Name: Pressed roast duck with crackling
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 4 1.8kg ducks; 3 golden shallots, finely chopped; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped; 1 bunch of chervil, leaves picked; 1 bunch of chives; ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg; ¼ tsp ground cloves; ½ tsp freshly ground white pepper

You’ll need to start this recipe at least a day ahead.

Ingredients

4 1.8kg ducks

3 golden shallots, finely chopped

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 bunch of chervil, leaves picked

1 bunch of chives

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp freshly ground white pepper

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 180C. Season skin and cavity of ducks with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and place on a rack inside a roasting pan. Using a skewer, prick duck breasts all over. Roast for 1 hour, then reduce heat to 150C and cook for 1½ hours or until flesh is tender. Stand for 20 minutes. Combine shallot and vinegar and stand for 30 minutes.

2.Remove duck skin and refrigerate. Using fingers, remove flesh and coarsely shred, combine with shallot mixture and remaining ingredients and season to taste.

3.Line a 10cm x 25cm loaf tin with a piece of plastic wrap with some overhang. Spoon mixture into tin, press firmly and fold over extra plastic wrap to cover. Place a piece of thick cardboard on top, weigh down with food cans and refrigerate overnight.

4.Preheat oven to 180C. Thinly slice duck skin and scatter in a single layer over an oven tray and roast for 10 minutes or until crisp.

5.To serve, turn out pressed duck, remove plastic wrap, slice and serve with crackling.