Going Green w/Roasted Rasberry Duck

May 24, 2010 - Hi again. So, I will admit that I have taken my own sweet time to get aboard the organic train! I started out like most people, and began to purchase some organic items - like fresh fruit and such, but that just added to my grocery bill. Here is the thing...when you really get on board, organic becomes cheaper. I know what you are thinking, but it is true. After reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle By Barbara Kingsolver, my thoughts began to change about what going green really means. I started to take a mindful look at the way I purchase, why I purchase, my daily habits and rituals, and realized that a lot of what I spent money on could be eliminated or greatly reduced. Last week, I am proud to say, there was no reason to cart the trash can down to the street. It only had one small bag of trash thanks to my new composte pile! My cleaning products all smell like lavendar! I washed my windows with vinegar, water, and lemon oil! Best of all my grocery bill has gone WAY down. There is simply less waste! Anyway, I am rattling on and on and you probably just want a recipe...so here it is. A wonderful Roasted Rasberry Duck with absolutely NO waste!

1 organic free-range duck - Remove all scrap meats inside and salt cavity with sea-salt. Score the top (I take a sharp knife and make a diamond pattern across the breasts), but you can make any design you like. The object here is to allow the fat to drip off the duck as it bakes, so cut through the fat and skin, but not the meat. Put on rack in baking pan in 300 degree oven. Bake for one hour and then pull out, prick duck skin with fork all over and rotate, turning the duck upside down. Bake for another hour and then repeat 2 more times. Pull out duck after 4 hours and drain duck fat into bowl. Baste with 1/2 cup organic rasberry fruit spread and 1/2 cup organic red wine (boil this to reduce to about 3/4 cup). Put back in oven and change temperature to 425. Bake for 20 min. Pull out duck again, re-glaze duck and put back in oven at 450 degrees. Roast for 10 more minutes. Pull out duck and let rest for 10 min. before serving.
Okay - so about the waste. I saute the Liver in a little butter, chopped onion and a tablespoon of sherry. Process in food-processor and serve on crackers or sliced cucumber. The other gizzards are boiled and fed as a treat for my dogs. The duck fat is saved and used for making the most amazing roasted potatoes EVER! Just cut up some organic potatoes with skins on and steam for a few minutes. Place in a roasting pan with about 1/4 cup of the fat, sea-salt and roast until crispy brown. I put them in with my duck after basting with the rasberry glaze. Be sure to turn them a few times so they can get crispy on all sides. Save the rest of your duck fat to use again later in the fridge.