Claire's Twice-cooked Duck with Cherry and Red Wine Sauce

DUCK: Preheat the oven to 180°C regular bake.

Remove any loose fat and giblets from inside the duck and cut off the tail. Rinse and dry the cavity and season well with salt and pepper. Stuff with the orange and thyme then loosely tie the legs with kitchen string. Lightly prick the skin with a sharp skewer to help release the fat. Brush the duck with a little olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.

Put a roasting rack in a large roasting dish and place the duck, breast side down, on the rack. Roast for 1 hour. Turn the duck over and roast for 1 hour more. Remove from the rack and set aside to cool for 30 minutes. You can keep the fat that has collected in the roasting dish for making roasted potatoes.

Cut the duck in half lengthways, first cutting down both sides of the backbone, then along the length of the breast. Kitchen scissors are best for this. Then cut each half into quarters through the natural join between the breast and thigh. Discard the aromatics. At this stage, the duck can be covered and chilled for 3 days.

Preheat the oven to 210°C fan bake.

TO SERVE: Put the duck on a lined shallow oven tray, skin side up and roast until the skin is crisp and the meat is hot, about 15 minutes.

Transfer to plates and serve with the cherry sauce.

I love to serve this with a big bowl of creamy mashed potatoes (see recipe page 62) and lightly cooked green beans tossed with a combo of finely chopped fresh garlic and parsley.

SAUCE: Heat the oil in a medium pot and add the onion and garlic. Season well then cover and cook gently for 10 minutes until soft, stirring often. Stir in the tomato paste and honey and cook 30 seconds, then stir in the mustard, spices and the flour. Cook for 2 minutes. Add half the wine and let it bubble up and cook at a fast simmer for about 8 minutes or until reduced by three-quarters. Add the remaining wine, stock and the orange peel and juice, and season well with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and for about 40 minutes until reduced by half. Add the cherries and simmer for 10 minutes.

If serving straight away, take the sauce off the heat and stir in the butter in 2 lots until glossy. The sauce can be prepared (without the butter added) and chilled up to 4 days ahead. Reheat the sauce and stir in the butter to serve. (Makes about 2½ cups)