Roasted Lemon Pepper Duck with Navarro Verjus Sauce

If blackberries aren’t available for this recipe, raspberries are a nice substitute.

1 Muscovy duck
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup Verjus
1 basket blackberries
1/2 cup duck or chicken stock

Preheat oven to 450º. Working from cavity side, gently slide finger in between the meat and skin of the duck. Combine lemon zest, salt, pepper and garlic then rub under the skin on to surface of duck meat. Tie the legs together and roast about 40 minutes, until done.

Sweat shallots in butter until soft. Turn heat to high and add Verjus, reduce by half and add blackberries and chicken stock. Reduce by half again and strain through a fine mesh strainer, pressing to remove as much sauce as possible. Reduce to desired consistency and keep warm.

Cut breast meat from duck and cut legs at the thigh joint. Pour sauce over and serve with roasted sweet potatoes mashed with garlic.

Serves Two

Nicholas Petti
Fort Bragg, CA