Balsamic-Glazed Slow-Roasted Duck

Ingredients

2 (5�6 lb.) Long Island or Pekin ducks, giblets and wings reserved (available at dartagnan.com)
6 tbs. olive oil
2 heads garlic
4 fennel bulbs, trimmed, outer layers only, chopped (remaining bulbs reserved for Roasted Vegetables)
6 cups chicken stock
1 lemon, halved crosswise, plus juice of 1 lemon
1 bunch thyme
1 cup balsamic vinegar
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prick the duck skin all over with the tines of a fork, taking care not to pierce the flesh, and season all over with sea salt. Place ducks on a rack in a large roasting pan, and let stand for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the duck wings and necks into pieces. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, adding the duck wings and necks and stirring until brown. Separate and peel 1 head of garlic; reduce heat to low, and add fennel and garlic to the saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened and caramelized. Add stock, and cook until liquid has reduced by half (about 40 minutes). Strain into a saucepan, skim fat from surface, and set sauce aside.

Halve remaining head of garlic, and crush slightly. Divide lemon, thyme, and garlic evenly between duck cavities. Place ducks in the oven, and roast, turning every 25 minutes, until they begin to brown (about an hour). Mix together balsamic vinegar and lemon juice, and baste or brush the ducks with the mixture every 20 minutes. Cook until the skin is dark brown and the meat begins to come away from the breastbone (2 to 3 hours total).

Remove from the oven, and allow ducks to stand for 20 minutes. Add some defatted pan juices to the sauce and reheat over medium heat until reduced to desired consistency. Carve duck, and serve with sauce. (Published 2011)