Whole roasted duck and sweet potato, ginger and brown sugar parcels served with a summer salad

Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 18 hours (including brining)
Cook Time: 2 hours

Accessories: convEGGtor, Premium Silicone Basting Brush and Drip Pan Round (23cm).

Ingredients:

Brine:

• 1,5 litre water
• 1 cup kosher salt
• ½ cup brown sugar

Duck:

• 1 x whole duck, appr 1.5kg
• Salt to season
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Cherry glaze:

• 180 gr fresh cherries
• 3 ml ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ cup water

Sweet potato, ginger and brown sugar parcels:

• 4 x medium sized sweet potatoes
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 4 teaspoons brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter

Summer salad:

• 3 large oranges
• 80 gr baby herb leaves
• 300 gr vine tomatoes
• 35 gr mixed nuts and seeds

Method: 

1. Prepare the duck by combining all the ingredients for the brine in a large, deep saucepan. Bring to a boil until sugar and salt have dissolved.  Leave to cool and submerge the duck in the brine.  Cover the pot with a lid and leave overnight or 12 – 18 hours.
2. Before roasting, carefully prick the skin of the duck with a sharp knife to only puncture the skin and cover with boiling water. Set aside while the EGG comes to temperature.
3. Set the Egg to indirect cooking with the convEGGtor (legs up) in place. Place the round drip tray in place and lastly the grid on top and heat the egg to  200°C.
4. Pat the duck dry and score the skin. Season with salt. Rub the duck with olive oil and place the duck breast side up on the grid.  Close the egg and leave for 1 hour.
5. In the meantime, prepare the cherry glaze. Remove the stalks and pips of the cherries and combine it with the sugar, spice and water. Use a hand blender to blend and heat up in small saucepan until sugar has dissolved.
6. While the duck is roasting, prepare the sweet potato parcels by adding the chopped sweet potato in four foil parcels. Add ½ teaspoon of ginger, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of butter to each parcel and close tight. Set aside.
7. After an hour of roasting time, open the egg and prick the skin of the duck once again with a sharp knife to render the fat. If you choose to glaze the duck, gently brush the whole bird with cherry glaze. Place the sweet potato parcels on the grid. Close the egg and leave to roast for a further 45 minutes.
8. After 45 minutes, give the duck one more prick all over the skin. Give it another baste with the cherry glaze if you choose. Leave the duck and parcels for a further 15 min.
9. Prepare the salad by slicing one orange in slices and adding it to the grill to caramelize.  Segment the other oranges and combine all the salad ingredients in a salad bowl.
10. For the last 15 minutes, the skin of the duck will crisp up if you haven’t used the glaze. After roasting time, carefully remove the parcels, orange slices and transfer the roasted duck to a serving platter.
11. Serve duck with fresh cherries, caramelized orange, sweet potato parcels and summer salad.

Recipe courtesy of Anina Meyer of Anina’s Recipes.