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Michel Roux Jr’s roast duck with spiced pears

Name: Michel Roux Jr’s roast duck with spiced pears
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: Serves 2-3
Ingredients: 2 pears; 500ml red wine; 1 tbsp caster sugar; 1 clove; 1 cinnamon stick, broken up; 1 tsp green peppercorns, crushed; 1.4kg oven-ready duckling or duck (see Know-how); 1 tbsp oil; 1 large shallot, roughly chopped; 1 tbsp butter, cold; You’ll also need; Digital thermometer

By: Michel Roux Jr

Published: 24 Nov 21
Updated: 24 Dec 24

Michel Roux Jr’s roast duck with spiced pears

Michel Roux Jr’s Christmas roast duck makes a decadent festive dinner for two. The meat is tender and the crisp skin soaks up the wonderful flavours.

“Serving duck at Christmas feels like a special treat – people don’t expect it and are surprised at how delicious and tender the meat is,” says Michel Roux Jr. “Duck skin has a crispier texture that soaks up the combination of flavours. This versatile, easy roast is full of sharp and sweet tastes; the grainy-fleshed pears and spices evoke the spirit of Christmas.”

Michel Roux Jr was the chef-owner of the two Michelin- starred restaurant Le Gavroche for many years and also oversees the food at The Langham, London including Roux at The Landau, The Wigmore pub and Sauce by The Langham cookery school. His books, TV appearances and reputation for culinary excellence have made him a household name.

Michel’s Lyonnais potato cake makes a brilliant side dish (it serves 6, so you’ll have some delicious leftovers).

Easy
December 2021

Test kitchen approved

Serves 2-3
Hands-on time 10 min, simmering time 10 min, oven time 50 min plus resting

Michel Roux Jr’s Christmas roast duck makes a decadent festive dinner for two. The meat is tender and the crisp skin soaks up the wonderful flavours.

Michel’s Lyonnais potato cake makes a brilliant side dish (it serves 6, so you’ll have some delicious leftovers).

Gluten-free

Nutrition: Per serving (for 3)

Calories: 838kcals
Fat: 42.9g (14.6g saturated)
Protein: 63.8g
Carbohydrates: 16.4g (16.4g sugars)
Fibre: 2.9g
Salt: 1.9g

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Ingredients

2 pears
500ml red wine
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 clove
1 cinnamon stick, broken up
1 tsp green peppercorns, crushed
1.4kg oven-ready duckling or duck (see Know-how)
1 tbsp oil
1 large shallot, roughly chopped
1 tbsp butter, cold

You’ll also need

Digital thermometer

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Method

Peel, core and cut the pears in half, keeping the trimmings. Put the pears in a pan with the red wine, sugar and spices, then simmer for 10 minutes until cooked. Remove the pears and set aside, keeping the cooking liquid for the sauce.
Heat the oven to 200°C fan/gas 7. Season the duck, then put it with the oil into a roasting pan set on the hob over a medium heat. Turn the meat until coloured on all sides, then add the pear trimmings and chopped shallot. Transfer the tin to the oven and roast for 45 minutes (a digital probe thermometer should read 60-62°C when you push it into the breast).
Take out the duck and rest in a warm place for at least 30 minutes. Put back in the oven for 5 minutes to crisp up the skin, then remove from the tin and set aside.

Just before serving, pour off the excess fat from the roasting tin and add all the liquid from the pears (strain through a fine sieve). Boil until syrupy. Press the sauce through a fine sieve, then whisk in the cold butter. Reheat the pears in the sauce and serve alongside the duck.

Recipe from December 2021 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 838kcals
Fat: 42.9g (14.6g saturated)
Protein: 63.8g
Carbohydrates: 16.4g (16.4g sugars)
Fibre: 2.9g
Salt: 1.9g

delicious. tips

Poach the pears up to 2 days ahead and chill in the poaching liquid. Bring to room temperature for 1 hour before warming through.
In culinary terms, a duckling is a young or small duck, between 1.3-1.5kg. If using a larger duck, adjust the cooking times.