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Serves 4 people as a main course
· 1 duck, approx 1.7kg, left at room temperature for 2 hours. Ask your butcher for advice - some breeds of ducks have lighter frames than others
· 2 teaspoons ghee or butter
· Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Remove the duck from fridge at least 2 hours before cooking to bring it up to room temperature.
Preheat your oven to 225C.
Wash the duck inside and out and pat dry - remove the giblets if there are any (keep to make a gravy or a stew!).
Use a skewer or very sharp knife to prick the duck (not too deep) about 10 times all over its body, especially in the fatty bits at the breast.
Rub the duck all over with the ghee, salt and pepper (throw a pinch of salt and pepper inside the duck too) and then place on a wire rack with a deep roasting tray underneath to catch all the fat
Roast for 55 minutes at 220C - keep an eye out to check the skin does not burn, turn down the heat if the skin darkens too much, it should be golden.
Roast for another 25 mins at 180C - use the skewer to poke between the thighs to check how 'done' the bird is, the juices should run clear.
Turn up the oven again to 225C for another 8-10 minutes for extra crispy skin.
Remove the duck from the oven, loosely cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes.
With caution, pour the duck fat into a sterile jar and allow to cool before lidding - keep in the fridge and use for future roasts and stir-fries etc.