Orange and star anise duck on roasted beetroot

While this winter warming recipe for orange roasted duck from Matthew Evans does take 2 days to marinate, the wait is well worth it. If you’re in a hurry, simply cook star anise in the wine and 125ml water for 20 minutes over low heat, set aside to cool, crush in garlic, add orange zest, then pour over duck, add salt and pepperberries, and marinate it for as long as you can.

Orange and star anise duck on roasted beetroot Credit: Alan Benson

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  2:15 hours

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 4 duck marylands 
• 10 pepperberries (see Note) or whole black peppercorns 
• 6 star anise, broken 
• ½ orange, zested
• 60 ml (¼ cup) dry white wine 
• 10 garlic cloves, unpeeled 
• 4 beetroot, trimmed, peeled 
• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 bunch sage leaves 
• 2 tbsp thyme, chopped

You'll need to start this recipe 2 days ahead.

Marinating time 2 days

Instructions

Place duck in a large bowl. Add ½ tsp salt, pepperberries, star anise and orange zest, and massage into duck. Add the wine and garlic, and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate, ideally for 2 days, turning duck a few times to ensure it is marinating evenly.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Place beetroot in a large roasting pan and toss with 1 tbsp oil. Roast for 40 minutes or until beetroot is almost tender. Cut into quarters, return to the pan and toss with remaining 1 tbsp oil. Season with salt and pepper, and scatter over sage and thyme.

Reduce oven to 180°C. Place duck, skin-side up, on top of the beetroot and spoon over marinade mixture. Roast duck and beetroot, running a spatula under beetroot halfway through cooking, for 1½ hours or until duck is golden and cooked through, and beetroot is tender. Serve with pan juices drizzled over.

Note

• Pepperberry, available from specialist food stores, is a native Tasmanian berry. It has a similar flavour to pepper, but with an added herbal dimension.

As seen in Feast magazine, Issue 9, pg40.

Photography by Alan Benson.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.