Roasted Duck with Cranberry Orange

http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/2012/12/roasted-duck-with-cranberry-orange.html

Roast the duck (approximately 6lbs, adjust cooking time for a larger or smaller bird) as follows:

1)  Roast for 30 minutes (breast side down) @ 325 degrees (F)

2)  Turn oven down to 300 degrees (F) and roast for 60 minutes (what it looks like after step 2)

3)  Flip your duck and pierce skin all over (again) with a fork or knife

4)  Roast for 30 minutes @ 300 degrees (F)

5)  Remove duck from oven, brush with glaze (recipe below)

6)  Return to oven and roast at 425 degrees (F) for 15 minutes    

7)  If not crispy enough, broil for about 2 minutes, keeping close watch so it doesn't burn

8)  Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving with remaining sauce.

When in doubt, test your duck for doneness with a meat thermometer - it should register 165 degrees at the thickest part of the leg or breast.  The meat was juicy and tender, while the skin was crispy and sweet from the glaze - I'll be making this one again for sure!  But next time I'll put it inside a bowl while I'm thawing it in the fridge!

For the glaze:

2 cups water
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
zest and juice of one orange
5 cardamom pods or 1 tsp ground cardamom
2 Tbl granulated sugar substitute 
1/4 tsp orange extract
1/2 tsp xanthan gum

In a small saucepan, bring the water, cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, and cardamom to a boil.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Mash the cranberries with a fork to release the juice.  Stir in sugar substitute until dissolved.  Strain out the solids and set aside, removing cardamom pods if using.  Add the orange extract and xanthan gum to the liquid and stir until slightly thickened.  Brush the liquid onto the duck in the last 15 minutes of roasting (see roasting instructions above.)  Stir the solids back into any remaining glaze, and serve it alongside the cooked duck.  

Approximate nutrition information for a four ounce serving of duck with 2 Tbl of sauce:
393 calories, 32g fat, 2g net carbs, 22g protein