Orange and Honey Glazed Duck Legs with Roasted Root Vegetables
Craving crispy, rich duck without dealing with a whole bird? This French-inspired recipe offers the perfect solution. A bed of root vegetables—quickly prepped with the Geedel vegetable chopper—roasts underneath the duck, soaking up the flavorful fat, while an orange and honey glaze forms a shiny, caramelized crust.
Ingredients:
Main: 4 duck legs, 2 oranges (zest and juice from one, the other sliced)
Root vegetable bed: 2 potatoes, 2 sweet potatoes, 2 parsnips, 1 onion
Glaze: 3 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sherry vinegar, 2 garlic cloves
Herbs: 4 sprigs thyme, 2 sprigs rosemary, salt, and pepper
Method:
1. Prep vegetable bed (using Geedel):
Peel and chop all root vegetables. Using the cubing blade, process potatoes into 2–3cm cubes with 4–5 even presses. Repeat with sweet potatoes, parsnips, and onion.
2. Prepare duck legs:
Score duck skin in a crosshatch pattern (cut through skin and fat, not the meat). Rub with salt and place skin-side up on a rack. Refrigerate uncovered for 2 hours to dry the skin for extra crispiness.
3. Make glaze & marinate:
Mix honey, soy sauce, sherry vinegar, orange juice, zest, and crushed garlic. Reserve half the glaze; use the rest to marinate duck legs in a sealed bag for 1 hour in the fridge.
4. Assemble & roast:
Preheat oven to 180°C. Toss chopped vegetables in a roasting pan with salt, pepper, and herbs. Place duck legs skin-side up on top.
Roast for 30 minutes, brush with reserved glaze, and arrange orange slices around. Increase heat to 200°C and roast 20–25 minutes until skin is golden and vegetables are tender.
5. Serve:
Plate duck and vegetables, drizzled with pan juices. Pair with a glass of Pinot Noir for a cozy autumn dinner.
Summary:
This French-style roast uses the Geedel chopper to quickly prepare a hearty root vegetable base, making duck legs easy to cook at home while delivering bistro-level flavor.
