Anitra con le ciliege (Duck with Cherries)
Wonderful winter meal for two!
Roasting time 1 to 1-1/2 hrs.
Prep time 15 minutes
Italian Roast Duck
1 fresh (or defrosted 4 -5 lbs. duck)
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt & freshly ground pepper
1 cup dry Marsala wine
1 can dark sweet cherries
Juice from cherries
Peel of 1 orange, cut into thin julienne(do not include white membrane)
Juice of one sweet orange
Fesh cherries for garnish.
Gather all ingriedients before starting.
Italian Roast Duck
Wash and dry the duck thoroughly.
In cassarole or large skillet heat butter and oil. When butter foams,
add duck and season with salt & pepper.
Brown, turning over medium heat until golden brown on all sides.
Remove duck.
Whisk in 1/2 cup Marsala into pan and stir to disolve the meat juices
attached to the bottom of the pan. (deglaze) Cook over high heat until wine is reduced by half. Pour over duck and place into oven.
While duck is roasting prepare sauce ingredients. Julienne the orange peel. This is easily accomplished with a julienne peeler. These strips are thicker than zesting. Juice orange after julienne is complete. Transfer duck to a cutting board, cover and let rest 10 – 15 minutes. With a spoon remove as much fat as possible from the sauce.
Add:
Cherry juice
1/2 cup Marsala
Orange juice
Orange peelBring to a boil. Reduce over high heat until sauce is reduced by half and has a syrupy consistency. Add Cherries….
Serve with your favorite side dishes… We like lightly steamed baby carrots with a bit of parsely and wild rice.
Wine selection for this dish should be a full bodied rich red wine- which Italy produces very well.
An elegant wine choice would be a Chianti Classico. Our choice for this meal was a 1999 Fattoria Di Felsina Castlelnuovo Berardenga,
Winetrivia -Fun with Food and Wine 