Duck with Pomegranate Seeds

Ingredients

• 1 Duck (ca. 2,5 kg)
• 4 shallots
• 2 Apples
• 2 sprigs Rosemary
• Salt
• pepper (from grinder)
• 4 onions
• 4 Carrots
• 200 g celery root
• 1 stalk leek
• 500 ml Chicken stock
• 1 Pomegranate (seeds)
• 3 tbsp butter
• 250 g Chestnuts (cooked)
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar
• 100 ml chicken stock
• Salt
• 1 small Savoy cabbage (ca. 1,5 kg)
• nutmeg

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 180°C with fan and top heat.

2. 2.

   Rinse the duck inside and out under running water and pat dry. Peel and cut the shallots into slivers. Peel, quarter, core and slice the apples. Combine both in a bowl. Remove rosemary leaves and mix with the apples. Season with salt and pepper. Rub the duck inside and out with salt and pepper and fill it with the apple-shallot mixture. Tie the opening with kitchen twine and small needles, place breast side up on a rack.

3. 3.

   Preheat the oven to 200°C fan mode.

4. 4.

   Wash, trim or peel and cut the onions, carrots, celery root and leek into large pieces. Spread all in a fat pan. Season with salt and pepper and pour just enough stock to cover the bottom. Place the duck on the rack over the pan and roast for about 2 hours. Replenish stock as needed so the bottom stays covered but the vegetables can brown. Baste the duck with the drippings during roasting.

5. 5.

   Melt 1 tbsp butter in a pot. Toss the chestnuts, sprinkle powdered sugar and lightly caramelize. Deglaze with stock and simmer until slightly thickened. Wash, trim, quarter and remove the core of the cabbage, cut quarters into strips. Blanch in salted water for about 5 minutes, shock, drain well. In a wide pot or pan, sauté in remaining butter, season with salt and nutmeg.

6. 6.

   Keep the duck warm at 100°C or raise heat if needed to brown the skin. Strain the vegetables through a fine sieve, collect the sauce, skim fat, bring to boil and season. Add pomegranate seeds.

7. 7.

   Fill a bowl with cabbage, top with glazed chestnuts. Pour a little sauce onto a plate, arrange the duck on top (remove garnish and skewers) and serve remaining sauce separately.