Anatra Arrosto con Ciliege d’Amarena [Duck with Amarena Cherries]

Masani Restaurant is housed in a beautiful Victorian building in Carlton and owned and operated by the Maisano family.

Richard Maisano is head chef, his wife Luciana looks after the dining room and daughter Kara is the maitre d’ and events manager.

It is a family-run restaurant in every sense of the word.

Richard’s creativity is well complemented by the warm hospitality of his wife and children.

Masani is one of the stalwarts of the restaurant industry in Melbourne, after Richard and Lu, as she affectionately known, opened it 20 years ago.

The food is superb, the family runs Masani with charming professionalism and nobody goes home hungry.

Try this recipe for duck with Amarena cherries from proprietor chef Richard Maisano of Masani Restaurant.

Perhaps serve it for Christmas dinner.

Trust me, I’ve tried it and it’s absolutely delicious.

Anatra Arrosto con Ciliege d’Amarena

Serves 4

1 whole duck, size 20/25, hung from the neck for 24 hours

2 generous tbsp Amarena cherries (available at specialty stores), plus extra for garnish

2 oranges, quartered

2 peeled onions, quartered

Bunch fresh thyme

Splash brandy

1 glass white wine

Olive oil

Carrots, celery cut into rough chunks

Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

2 litres water for stock

Heat oven to 160C or 300F

Dry duckling well with paper towel inside and out.

Salt and pepper the inside of the duck.

Place in the duck 1 of the onions, thyme and 1 orange. Rub salt, pepper and olive oil on body of duckling. Put aside.

In a roasting dish, place the remainder of the vegetables. Then place the seasoned duck on top.

Squeeze remaining orange over duck, place the squeezed orange skins in pan as well. Bake for 1½ hours.

After 45 minutes add 1 glass of wine. Return to the oven for a further 45 minutes. When cooled, bone duck from carcass. Place duck meat on a serving plate.

In a stockpot place duck carcass, the roasted vegetables that were cooked with the duck and add water.

Bring to the boil rapidly until reduced by half.

Finally strain the stock through a chinois/fine sieve.

Vitamise cherries or finely dice.

In a saucepan, on a medium heat, place the vitamised cherries and ½ cup of stock and brandy. Allow to simmer for a while.

Serve over roasted duckling, with seasonal vegetables.

Enjoy with an Australian pinot noir or classic Tuscan chianti.