Roasted Duck With Sauerkraut and Roasted Root Vegetables Recipe
Winter is perfect for roasting and baking–you’re already pent up indoors and you won’t mind the heat from the oven. Savory roasted duck, tangy sauerkraut and flavorful roasted root vegetables will keep you warm during the winter cold.
1 whole duck (4 to 5 pounds)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 baking potatoes or 6 to 8 fingerlings, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 to 4 cups peeled and cubed mixed root vegetables (carrots, golden beets, parsnips, rutabagas, salsify, turnips)
4 shallots, peeled and halved
1 quart (2 pounds) sauerkraut, drained
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To prepare duck, remove giblets, neck and liver from cavity. Discard any fat that can be removed easily. Wash duck, pat dry and place in a large roasting pan. Prick duck all over with a fork (very important!) to help release fat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Roast for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and scatter potatoes, root vegetables and shallots around duck. Turn vegetables to cover with rendered duck fat. Return to oven and roast another 45 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure duck is browning. (If duck is barely browning, increase heat by 50 degrees; if it seems to be browning too quickly, reduce heat slightly.)
3. Meanwhile, taste sauerkraut and rinse with warm water if it’s too salty. Drain well. Serves 4
4. Remove duck from oven and reduce temperature to 300 degrees. Pour off all but a few tablespoons of fat from roasting pan. (Save it for roasting your next batch of veggies!) Scatter sauerkraut over veggies, moisten it with wine, and tuck bay leaves into veggies. Return to oven and roast about 30 minutes longer, until duck is tender. Let bird rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.
— Recipe reprinted from Recipes from the Root Cellar by Andrea Chesman
To learn more about what foods are in season during the winter, see the article “The Winter Table: 3 Seasonal Recipes.”