
SERVES 4-6

PREPARATION 20 MINS

COOKING 80 MINS-1HR
2 x 2kg (4lb) ducks
450g (14oz) thick cut marmalade
12 kumquats, halved lengthways
200ml (6½fl oz) orange juice
250ml (8fl oz) stock
2tsp brown sugar
1. Heat the oven to 190ºC (gas mark 5). Wipe the ducks and prick all over with a sharp knife (pierce the skin but not the flesh underneath). Roast the ducks on a rack in a large roasting tin, breast-side down (make sure they don't touch each other) for 40 minutes.
2. Remove the rack and ducks from the tin and pour the fat off into a bowl. Return the ducks to the rack, breast-side up, and spread each breast with a good layer of the marmalade (you may need to warm it slightly to make it spreadable). Return to the oven and cook for a further 40 minutes, or until cooked. Cover with foil if the marmalade is catching and burning - it should be a dark golden colour with the odd bit of peel slightly blackened.
3. Meanwhile, make a sauce by bringing the remaining marmalade, halved kumquats, orange juice, stock and sugar to the boil in a small saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes, then pour over the ducks before serving.
TIP
Check the ducks are cooked by inserting a knife where the leg joins the body - the juices should run clear, not pink.