Roast duck stuffed with bread, apples and raisins

Use a whole young duck of approximately 2000 g. Soak the raisins in all the rum for about 15 minutes while preparing the filling. Dice the bread. Peel and core the apples and dice the flesh.

Heat 1 tbsp duck fat in a frying pan. Toast the bread for about 4 minutes, stirring, then add the apples and cook for 3 minutes. Add cinnamon, thyme, 1 pinch salt and 1 pinch pepper. Stir in raisins with all their rum and 125 ml wine. Cool only until safe to handle, then drain any free liquid into a bowl and keep it.

Preheat the oven to 225 °C conventional. Pat the duck dry with kitchen paper and remove the tail. Season inside and out with 1 pinch salt and 1 pinch pepper. Add the filling without packing tightly, close the openings with skewers and kitchen string, tie the legs and tuck the wings underneath. Melt 1 tbsp fat in a hob-safe roasting pan.

Put the duck breast-side down and roast for 45 minutes. Add 125 ml wine and all the reserved filling liquid to the pan and baste the bird with its juices. Once the back is browned, turn the duck over, lower the oven to 175 °C and roast for about 45 minutes more. Add a little hot water if the pan dries. Check that the meat near the joints and the centre of the stuffing are fully cooked. Extend cooking as needed.

Lift out the duck and rest for 10 minutes, loosely covered. Meanwhile spoon excess fat from the juices and boil them for about 5 minutes. Remove every skewer and all the string, carve the duck and serve the filling with the meat and sauce.