Roast Duck In Cherry And Black Peppercorn Sauce

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp. of the butter over low heat. Add in the shallots and saute/fry slowly, till soft. Add in the dry cherries, molasses, pepper, and duck stock. Simmer 15 min. Blend the arrowroot with the 1/4 c. of the Madeira. Mix the Madeira into the duck sauce and simmer 3 to 4 min, till slightly thickened. Set aside. (The sauce may be made ahead, up to this point.)
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
3. Season the duck cavity with the salt and pepper. Pierce the skin thoroughly around the lower breast, back, and thighs. Truss the duck and place, breast side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Place the duck in the oven and bake for 15 min. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and roast the duck 30 min per side. With a bulb baster, remove some of fat which accumulates as the duck roast. Turn the duck, breast side up, and sprinkle with salt. Roast 10 to 15 min longer for medium-rare or possibly till juices run rosy when a thigh is pierced with a fork. For well-done, roast till juices run clear.
4. Remove the trussing. Place the duck on a serving platter and keep hot in a turned off oven while finishing the sauce. (The duck may be roasted in the morning, if you like, and reheated at 300 degrees at this point.) Place under a broiler for 3 to 5 min for extra-crisp skin.
5. Remove all but 1 Tbsp. fat from the roasting pan. Add in the remaining 1/4 c. Madeira to the drippings in the pan. Boil rapidly, scraping the brown bits from the bottom and reducing the wine to 2 Tbsp.. Strain the wine reduction into the prepared duck sauce. Finish the sauce with the sherry vinegar. Simmer 1 to 2 min and swirl in the remaining 1 Tbsp. of butter.
6. This recipe yields 4 servings.