Crispy Roast Duck With Lavender Honey

Total Time: 4 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 3 tablespoons lavender honey
• 2 tablespoons boiling water
• 1 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
• 2 (4 1/2 lb) ducks, neck and giblets removed (muscovy duck is recommended)
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 medium shallots, minced
• 1 cup demi-glace
• 1 tablespoon lavender honey, plus
• 1 teaspoon lavender honey
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper

Recipe

• 1 make the glaze: in a small bowl, combine the honey, boiling water, and pepper; stir to blend and set aside.
• 2 preheat oven to 275°; season ducks with salt and pepper.
• 3 with a kitchen fork, prick skin about ¼ inch deep all over, particularly in the fatty area around the thighs and wing area; do not pierce the meat.
• 4 place duck breast-side down on a rack in a roasting pan; pour boiling water over them; roast for 2 hours.
• 5 turn the duck breast-side up and brush with the glaze.
• 6 roast for another 1 to 1 ¼ hours, or until the legs wiggle easily; transfer to a carving board and let cool.
• 7 using heavy poultry shears, quarter the ducks—cut the backbones out to make this easier.
• 8 place the duck quarters in plastic bags and refrigerate.
• 9 about 45 minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 375°; place the duck, skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, or until the duck is cooked through and crisp.
• 10 meanwhile, make the sauce—in a small skillet, melt butter over med-highheat.
• 11 add in shallots; saute for 2 minutes or until softened.
• 12 add in demi-glace, honey, and vinegar; turn up heat to high, and reduce the sauce to a light glaze, about 3 minutes.
• 13 whisk the remaining 1 tablespoons butter into the sauce to thicken it and add a sheen; season with salt and pepper.
• 14 place the duck on a platter and spoon over a little sauce; serve the remaining sauce on the side.