Roast Christmas Duck with Orange Sauce and Dumplings

For the duck: Preheat the oven to 200°C (approximately 390°F). 

Rinse duck inside and out and pat dry. Rub the duck inside and out with salt and pepper. Prick skin of the duck with a toothpick and place, breast side down, in a roasting pan. Add 200 ml (approximately .8 cup) of water and roast for about 45 minutes. Then turn and cook for another 45 minutes. Baste with cooking liquid.

Remove duck from roasting pan and place on a broiler pan with drip tray. Broil duck for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove duck, keep warm and skim fat from pan sauce.

For the dumplings: Rinse potatoes and boil in salted water for about 25 minutes. Drain and evaporate over low heat. Press through a ricer. Combine potatoes, 2/3 of the flour, eggs, salt and nutmeg and knead to form a loose, well-moldable dough. Add more flour if necessary. Use floured hands to form small meatballs. Boil dumplings in salted water and cook until done, about 10-15 minutes it. Remove and drain.

Heat butter in a pan and add almonds. Put finished dumplings in almond butter and keep warm.

For the sauce: Peel two oranges with a sharp knife, separate segments and remove white skins. Juice remaining oranges. Heat roasting pan with duck cooking liquid on the stove and add orange juice. Add Grand Marnier and some water, as needed. Bring mixture to a boil. Mix starch with some cold water and whisk into sauce. Season sauce with salt, stir in cold butter and place duck in the pan.