“‘My fellow magisters have doubled the size of the city guard,’ Illyrio told them over platter’s of honey duck and orange snap peppers one night at the manse that had been Drogo’s. The khal had joined his khalasar, his estate given over to Daenerys and her brother until the wedding.” -A Game of Thrones
Honey Duck w/orange snap peppers
Our Thoughts:
Like many meat dishes, the star of this dish was the incredible sauce. Made with honey, orange juice, butter, and a dash of warm pepper, it brought out the richness of the duck. Dripping with this sauce, each bite of the duck is succulent, a delight to eat. We sauteed orange bell peppers with a touch of salt, as well as some baby bok choy for additional color, then drizzled both with some fig infused balsamic vinegar. Amazing. Serve with some flatbread, honeyed wine, and a table set with the strangest fruits you can find, and you’re golden.
Honey Duck Recipe
Cook’s Notes: Once you have picked your duck clean at dinner, consider boiling down what’s left for an incredible broth. It adds depth and richness to any dish; we turned ours into a risotto that was out of this world!
Ingredients
- 1 (4 pound) whole duck, rinsed
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger root, or powdered ginger
- pinch of white pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 orange, quartered
For the sauce
- 1 cup honey
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- pinch of Aleppo pepper
- several thin slices of lemongrass (optional)
To prepare the duck, prick the skin all over with a sharp knife; this will allow some of the fat to run out and keep the duck from being too greasy.
In a small bowl, mix together your spices and salt. Sprinkle this mixture over the duck and stuff with orange quarters. Place the duck in the roasting pan, and make the sauce.
Simmer together the honey, butter, lemon juice and orange juice in a small saucepan, until just combined. Pour a splash of this over the duck, and save the rest for a sauce.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350F. Turn the duck breast side down, and reduce the heat to 300F. Cook for another 2 hours, or until a nice dark golden color. If desired, turn duck breast up again at the end of cooking to brown it.