Zonnebloem’s plush, plummy Pinotage is the obvious choice of food artist Jules Mercer when it comes to her Asian-style roast duck. Its rich fruit with dark chocolate and lovely spicy and savoury notes, brings out the best in this delicious duck. Made with plums, soy, five-spice and honey, and sparks of ginger and chilli, it will have you gnawing on the bones to extract the last bit of flavour.

Buy Zonnebloem Pinotage from your favourite supermarket or wine shop. It retails for around R63.

Whole Roasted Duck with Plum Sauce

Served with Zonnebloem Pinotage

Serves: 4-6

1 duck, weighing approximately 2kg

2 Tbsp (30ml each) honey and soy sauce, mixed

pinch of Chinese 5 spice powder

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 red chilli, finely chopped

1 large knob (4-5cm) ginger, peeled and grated good glug of olive oil

400g fresh plums, halved stoned and cut into chunks

4 Tbsp (60g) cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp (30ml) soy sauce

½ cup (125ml) stock

½ cup (125ml) red wine

Steamed basmati rice, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C

Lay the duck on a roasting tin, and sprinkle with salt and black pepper.  Place in the preheated oven and roast for about 20 minutes or until the skin is starting to crisp up.  Mix together the Chinese 5 spice with the honey and soy mixture.  Turn the temperature down to 180°C and continue to cook, basting the bird every half hour or so with the honey mixture.  Check frequently to see if the skin is burning, if it turns brown quickly then cover with foil. Roast for 75 minutes. Remove the duck from the oven after 60 minutes if you prefer it pink.

 

For the plum sauce: Fry the onion in the olive oil until softened.  Add the chilli and ginger, cook for a minute or two.  Add the plums, sugar and stir until the sugar has melted.  Add the red wine and stock and cook for about 30-35 minutes on a medium to low heat (if you are using really ripe plums the cooking time might be a little less, check the sauce after 20 minutes).  The sauce is ready when it turns thick and glossy.

Allow the duck to rest on a serving board for 5-10 minutes.  Carve and serve with the plum sauce, rice and greens.