Apricot Szechuan Roast Duck

Ingredients

• 1-5 pound duck
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup apricot jam
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons toasted Szechuan peppercorns*

Directions

Remove neck, wing tips, gizzards and extra fat from duck. Place neck, wing tips, and gizzards in stock pot filled with water. Bring to a boil. Prick duck skin all over, especially the fatty parts. Lower duck into stock pot, neck first. Place plate on top of duck to keep submerged and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove duck from pot and dry. Let sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes to dry and tighten skin before roasting. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a saucepan heat 1/2 cup white wine vinegar and 1/2 cup apricot jam until melted. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 2 tablespoons toasted Szechaun peppercorns. Divide sauce in half.

Brush sauce over duck. Use sauce to baste duck occasionally.

Place duck in oven, legs first. The rear of the oven is hotter and the dark meat takes longer to cook.

Roast for 45 minutes. Baste occasionally and spoon off fat.

Reserve other half of sauce for dipping sauce.