Pomegranate-Glazed Duckling on Dried-Fruit Couscous

* Exported from MasterCook *

Pomegranate-Glazed Duckling on Dried-Fruit Couscous

Recipe By : Country Living Magazine, October 1994
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Main Dish Poultry

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
5 pounds duckling
3 cups water
1 medium onion -- quartered
1 large carrot -- peeled and halved
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup strawberry jelly -- or red currant jelly
16 ounces pomegranates -- juiced (2/3 cup)
3 tablespoons sugar
Dried-Fruit Couscous -- *see recipe
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons cornstarch
fresh mint sprigs -- optional

1. Remove giblets and neck from duckling. Remove and discard excess fat
from inside body cavity. Cut off and discard excess neck skin. Rinse
duckling, giblets, and neck in cold water and pat dry with paper
towels. Cut off and reserve first 2 joints of the wings, leaving only
the third. To cut duckling into quarters, using poultry shears, cut
duckling lengthwise in half through the breastbone and continue cutting
along one side of the backbone; cut duckling halves in half crosswise.
2. Coat bottom of 5-quart kettle or Dutch oven with nonstick vegetable
cooking spray. Add giblets, neck, and reserved wing tips to kettle and
cook until well browned. Add duckling quarters, water, onion, carrot,
1/2 teaspoon salt, and the bay leaf. Cover and heat to boiling over
high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until duckling is
fork-tender - about 1 hour. (If preparing ahead, remove duckling from
kettle, cool, wrap, and refrigerate. Strain cooking liquid, discarding
fat and cooked particles. Refrigerate liquid, or duck stock.)
3. Just before roasting duckling, prepare pomegranate glaze: In 1-quart
saucepan, heat jelly until melted. Stir in pomegranate juice and sugar
and heat to boiling over high heat. Boil mixture 5 minutes; remove from
heat and set aside.
4. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Remove duckling from kettle and place,
skin side up, on rack in roasting pan. (If duck breasts have curled up
after boiling, remove their breast bones so they will be flat.) Roast
duckling 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, pour duck stock through large strainer into bowl,
discarding cooked particles. Remove excess fat from stock. Reserve 1
cup stock for the sauce and 2 cups stock for Dried-Fruit Couscous;
refrigerate remainder for another use.
6. Brush duckling with some glaze and roast 5 minutes; roast duckling 10
more minutes or until well browned, brushing 3 more times with glaze.
Prepare Dried-Fruit Couscous; keep warm. Set duckling quarters aside.
7. Prepare sauce: In cup, combine wine and cornstarch until smooth.
Stir reserved 1 cup stock and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt into glaze
remaining in saucepan. Heat to boiling and stir in cornstarch mixture.
Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Pour sauce into serving
bowl.
8. Spoon Dried-Fruit Couscous onto serving plate. Arrange duckling on
couscous. Garnish with mint, if desired. Serve duckling and couscous
with sauce.

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NOTES : Because this duckling is simmered to produce a rich stock before
it is roasted, it can be prepared ahead, then roasted and glazed just
before serving.