Chef Ben Kiely with his Christmas duck.

Christmas marmalade roast duck

The combination of duck with orange is a classic. Whole duck cooked this way produces a nice crispy skin and the meat is tender. I like to serve the duck with the meat rose-coloured. If you prefer your meat more on the well-done side, roast the duck 15–20 minutes longer.

Goose and duck are more traditional than turkey at Christmastime in Europe and don’t get dry. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Ingredients for the duck

• 1 duck, 5–6 lb
• Salt
• Freshly milled black pepper

Ingredients for the glaze

• 1 heaped tsp fine-cut Seville orange marmalade
• 2 tbsps port
• Juice and zest of 1 orange
• To garnish: 1 bunch watercress

Method

1. First pre-heat the oven to 400°F. Place the duck in a roasting tin, and prick the fleshy parts with a skewer. Season all over with salt and pepper, and then roast it on the highest shelf of the oven for 20 minutes.

2. After that, reduce the heat to 325°F, and continue to roast for a further 2-½ hours. From time to time during the cooking remove the tin from the oven and drain off the fat into a bowl .

3. Ten minutes before the end of cooking, mix the marmalade and port to make the glaze and brush all over the skin of the duck and return it to the oven for the final cooking. Transfer the duck to a carving board to rest for 25 minutes. Garnish with watercress and serve immediately.

Steamed marmalade pudding, a comforting holiday dessert.

Steamed marmalade pudding

For me, this is comfort food. I prefer to make one big pudding and serve it in the middle of the table so everyone can help themselves. Sweet and savory puddings are popular at Christmastime, and make a nice alternative to Christmas pudding.

Ingredients

• 200 g butter, softened
• 150 g sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten (free range if possible)
• Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• 100 g self-raising flour, sieved
• Butter for greasing
• 200 g orange marmalade, plus some extra if you
prefer, to serve on top

Method

1. Cream the butter and sugar, by hand or in a mixing machine, until light and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs and orange zest and beat until well mixed. Gently fold in the flour until well mixed in with no lumps.

2. Grease one large, or four small individual pudding basins, spoon 4 tablespoons of the marmalade into the bottoms and then add the pudding mixture. Cover with a circle of buttered greaseproof paper, then some kitchen foil and secure tightly with a piece of string around the edge of the bowl.

3. Put the bowl/bowls into a saucepan with boiling water half way up the bowl, cover with a lid and simmer gently for an hour for a large one or 40 minutes for small individual ones, topping up with water if necessary.

4. Remove from the pan and turn out on to a serving dish. You may just need to run a knife around the edge of the pudding basin to loosen it slightly. Serve with some thick custard and some more marmalade if you wish and enjoy.