Honey Balsamic Glazed Duck with Home Made Potato Dumplings

Christmas deserves a good dinner. My favorite Asian store had ducks. They have usually a lot less fat than what one can buy in the domestic grocery stores. They also have the head and the feed still attached. I don't know what to do with that. I cut them off and throw them out.

For the duck we start out with all of this:

2 apples
salt and pepper
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey (I love clover honey)

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Wash the apples and clean cut them into small pieces. They will fill the cavity of the duck.
Wash and pad dry the duck, remove any extra fat if you like.
Salt from all sides including the inside. Suff the duck with the apples and close the entry of the cavity. 
Pepper a little bit from the outside. 
In a bowl mix the balsamic and the honey. Make sure the honey is disolved. 
In a roasting pan with a rack add water so it get to the rack. Add the duck  breast side up. Brush some of the balsamic honey mixture on it.

Into the oven the duck goes. after 15 min, baste the duck again with the balsamic honey mixture, and one more time 15 min later. Turn the heat down to 320F and repeat this one more time after 20 min. Check the water level each time and keep the water to the height of the rack. Then check every now and then for 1h and use the cooking liquid over the duck. this makes the skin really crispy. After 1h turn the duck around and repease the basting process with the balsamic honey mixture on the back side. Keep adding water to the pan to make sure the rendered fat is not starting to burn. 
Depending on the duck, it should be done 2.5-3h. 

While the duck is roasting, prepare the potato dumplings.
6 starchy potatoes
2 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp semolina
a pinch of nutmeg
2 egg yolks
Use 6 large starchy potatoes. I like Yukon Gold, Russet can be used as well.
Peel them and cook until tender. Remove all the water and let all the liquid go. Run them through through a potato ricer while they are still hot. Then let them cool down, so they can easy be handled with the hands. Add half of the semolina and the starch, 2 yolks and the nutmeg to the mixture and mix with 1 hand. Keep the other hand clean, so the remaining starch and semolina can be added. One is looking for a smooth not sticking dough. Using an ice cream scooper form small balls.
In a big pot, bring water with some salt to a boil and then turn the heat down. Add the potato dumplings. Make sure the water is not cooking, the dumplings may fall appart otherwise. When they come up to the top, they are starting to get ready. After 5 min pull them out and keep them warm.

Time to get all ready. Take the duck out of the oven and cut it into 4 pieces. Take the cooking liquid into a pot and bring it to a boil. Add some 1/2 cup of buttermilk and 1/2 cup of half and half. Bring it back to a boil and then thicken the sauce. 
Serve all nice on a plate, I added some red cabbage.
-Mahlzeit-






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