Perfect for Rosh Hoshanah, or any feast, this recipe comes from The Nosher.
Ingredients:
6 plums (1½ lbs / 708 g) plums, about 6, pitted and halved
4 small red onions (1 lb / 500 g) red onions, quartered
6 sprigs fresh thyme
4 sprigs rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
1½ cups chicken stock or water
½ cup orange juice or apple cider
salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Trim any excess fat off of the duck, pat it dry, and generously season the inside and outside with salt and pepper (you can reserve the excess fat and render it for schmaltz). Score the top of the duck breast with vertical slits; this will allow the fat to render out more easily when browned.
Heat a roasting pan or a large skillet on medium-high heat. Once it is very hot, add the duck breast-side down. Brown the duck for 5-6 minutes, then flip and brown the opposite side for 5-6 minutes. Transfer the duck and reserve; drain any excess fat from the pan.
To the same roasting pan, or to a large oven-proof baking dish, add the quartered red onions, 2 sticks of rosemary, 2 sprigs of thyme, bay leaves, half of the head of garlic, and the cinnamon stick if using. Add the remaining rosemary, thyme, and half head of garlic to the inside cavity of the duck. Place the duck on top of the onions. Pour the stock and orange juice into the bottom of the pan.
Roast the duck for 1 hour. After one hour, add the halved plums to the pan; if the bottom of the pan is drying out, you can add more stock, juice, or water. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F, roast for 35-45 more minutes or until the duck is deeply golden brown, the plums are soft but still hold their shape, and the duck meat has an internal temperature of at least 165°F when tested with a meat thermometer.
Transfer the duck to a serving platter and allow it to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve whole or sliced, alongside the plums and red onions.
The cooking liquid will include a fair amount of fat, and depending on your taste you can spoon some of it over the bird, or reserve and refrigerate. Once cooled, you can skim the fat off the top, and strain the remaining liquid to use for stock or soup, and duck bones can also be reserved for stock.
