1 duck (4 lbs. ready to roast)
1 onion
2 bunches celery
2 cooking apples
2 oz. bread crumbs
1 tablespoon of butter
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 tablespoon of salt
1 teaspoon of lemon rind (grated)
1 cup cider
2 tablespoons honey
Directions:
For the filling:
- Wash, peel and chop the onion, wash and chop the celery. Wash and peel the apples, remove the cores and slice thinly.
- Heat the butter in a saucepan, add the onion, celery and apple slices and sauté for appr. 3 minutes until the apples are golden brown and the onions are glassy.
- Take the saucepan off the heat, add the bread crumbs, cinnamon, black pepper, lemon rind and cider. Stir and set aside.
The duck:
- Wash the duck, rub with salt and freshly ground pepper inside and outside.
- Now fill the duck with the prepared filling and, ifpossible, sew up the opening. Alternatively use metal or wooden sticks to close the opening.
- Puncture the duck several times in different places(especially the haunches) and place on an oven grill with its back up.
- Prepare a roasting pan, fill with hot water and place in the oven underneath the duck. The oven should be preheated to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Roast for appr. 30 minutes, turn the duck and roastfor another 60 minutes. Make sure to frequently baste the duck with the water and caughtjuices in the roasting pan.
- 15 minutes before the end of roasting time, mix thehoney with some hot water and brush the duck with the honey-water mixture.
- When finished roasting, take the duck out of the oven, set aside and let rest for 10 - 15 minutes before carving.
- Scratch up the juices in the roasting pan, skim offthe fat and use the fond as gravy. Add spices to taste and bind with some flour if needed. Make sure you let the gravy boil up for a minute or two if you added flour for binding, to remove any floury taste.
- Serve duck with red cabbage, potato dumplings, spaetzle, leipziger allerlei or other vegetables.
