Duck with apples
6 servings
90 minutes
Duck with apples is a classic Russian dish that combines juicy poultry meat with a fragrant sweet-and-sour filling. Historically, this dish was often prepared for festive feasts as it symbolizes abundance and the coziness of home cooking. Roasted duck infused with spices and apple juices achieves incredible tenderness, while the caramelized apples create a rich flavor with subtle spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. The dish is perfect for a formal dinner and pairs wonderfully with vegetable side dishes and a glass of red wine. It fills the home with warmth and aroma, reminding of family traditions and cozy winter evenings.
1
Wash the duck and pat it dry with a paper towel. Rub the duck with salt and pepper. Place 3-4 apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and bay leaf inside the duck. Place the duck in a baking dish and drizzle with lemon juice.
- Duck: 1 piece
- Ground black pepper: to taste
- Apple: 9 pieces
- Bay leaf: to taste
- Cinnamon: to taste
- Nutmeg: to taste
- Lemon juice: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: to taste
2
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees and place the duck in a baking dish. Roast the duck for an hour, periodically removing the dish and basting the duck with the fat rendered from the meat.
- Duck: 1 piece
3
After an hour, reduce the oven temperature to 160 degrees, place the remaining apples in the dish with the duck, drizzle them with the fat rendered from the duck, and bake for another 20 minutes.
- Apple: 9 pieces