Duckling With Orange

Ingredients
6 Ducklings
2 teaspoons Salt
2 Bay Leaves
8 cups Water
Salt
Orange Peel
Sprigs Lemon Thyme
4 chopped Onions
4 chopped Carrots
1 1/2 cups Red Wine Vinegar
12 tablespoons Sugar
11(??) cups Port or Maderia
2 tesapoons Corn Flour
3 tablespoons orange flavoured Liqueur
5 Oranges

Method

Strip off all extra fat on ducklings. Remove necks and wing tips. Simmer them in 2 tablespoons of salt, bay leaves and water for two hours. Strain and reduce a little (6 cups).

Put 3 twists of orange peel in each bird and a sprig of lemon thyme. Skewer neck skin to back.

Prick skin every 1/2 inch - thighs, back and lower breast.

Stand on rack over pan and roast 375 F for 30 minutes, breast down.

Pour off fat.

For 5 ducks proceed with sauce.

Pour 2 cup water into pan with chopped onions, chopped carrots.

Continue to roast ducks a further 3/4 hours, turning breast side up for last 20 minutes (duck is cooked when leg moves freely).

Remove, garnish with 2 thin slices of orange under wings, split in 2, wrap in foil.

Sauce:

Simmer red wine vinegar with sugar until a caramel colour. Pour into prepared stock. Skim fat from roasting dish.

Add 2 cups port or maderia to drippings and heat to deglaze. Strain into duckling stock mixture.

Bring to the boil. (about 3 to 4 pints).

Mix cornflour with a little cold water. Stir into sauce. Simmer. Add orange flavoured liqueur.

Peel 4 oranges being careful not to include any of the white pith - cut skin into julienne shreds.

Put into boiling water.

Blanch 15 minutes. Drain well. Add peel shreds to sauce. Taste for salt and pepper.