聖誕火雞 vs. 聖誕烤鴨

聖誕節食火雞由我懂事開始已經知道，由細細個食媽咪焗嘅火雞，酒店自助餐嘅火雞，到自己喺朱氏伉儷或吳牧師家中焗嘅火雞，焗火雞成為我每年聖誕必食之選！記得有一年感冒，但係又應承咗班弟兄姊妹，唔想令佢地失望唯有死頂，捱到將隻火雞放入焗爐，佢哋叫我入房瞓話幫我反隻火雞(當時自己經驗不足，廚藝有限，其實焗任何家禽都唔洗反轉焗)，瞓到咁上下聽到有人係廚房慘叫，但係我太辛苦所以冇理繼續瞓，瞓醒起身行入廚房，班朋友急不及待話俾我知佢地頭先點樣集合幾人之力反隻火雞，差點釀成血案咁話，已經俾佢地笑死，到我攞隻火雞出嚟，見到隻火雞個pat pat燶咗，原來佢地冇鋪錫紙 ...... but anyway，I love these people! 如果唔係呢班弟兄姊妹，我諗我未必捱到過去十幾年一個人喺香港嘅日子。過近年佢地大多做咗父母，冇咁多機會見面借用大焗爐，所以近兩三年改咗用雞，至於今年，唯一嘅聖誕餐係喺屋企煮俾兩個表姐同家姐及其家人食，家姐又食過我嘅Roast Chicken，所以今年決定焗我成世人嘅第一隻鴨 － Roasted French Duck!

雖然賣相麻麻，但係都成當晚最受歡迎嘅食物！

呢隻鴨所需材料超多!

Duck (1 whole)
Red wine (2 1/2 cups)
Water (1 cup)
Bay leaves (2 pieces)
Black peppercorns (1 tablespoon)
Red peppercorns (1 tablespoon)
White peppercorns (1 teaspoon)
Sea salt (to taste)
Thyme (6 teaspoons)
Rosemary (6 teaspoons)
Star anise (5 pieces)
Carrot (1 piece, diced)
Onion (1 piece, diced)
Celery (3 stalks, diced)
Garlic (1 head, cut in half)
Unsalted butter (30g)
Olive oil (4 tablespoons)

1. Saute onion, carrot, celery and garlic with butter and oil in a heavy bottom pot for 2-3 minutes
2. Add rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns and star anise, then pour in red wine
3. Submerge the duck in the liquid and simmer under medium low heat for 30 minutes
4. If the liquid is not enough to submerge the entire duck, turn the duck every 15 minutes
5. Preheat oven to 200 c. for 10 minutes
6. After the duck has been braised, roast the duck for 20 minutes or until done
* Remember to drizzle oil before roasting, this will help the skin to become crispy