Roasted Duck With Cherries - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (3 -4 lb) duck
salt and pepper
1/2 lb cherries, pitted
3 tablespoons madeira wine
1/4 cup chicken stock, prefereably homemade

Preparation

Remove any fat from the cavity of the duck and pierce the skin of the legs and breast with the tip of a knife or the tines of fork (helps to render out the fat).
Season the duck well with salt and pepper inside and out and let the duck sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting.
Preheat oven to 400\u00b0F.
Roast the duck on a rack in a roasting pan for 45 minutes, turning it from side to side every ten or so minutes and finishing with it breast side up.
Pour off as much fat as possible (reserve it for other uses--like the best french fries there are).
Add the cherries, the wine and the stock and roast for another 15 minutes--the duck should still be pink next to the bone.
Allow the duck to rest 15 minutes before carving.
To carve, remove the legs, slice the breast and reserve all the juices.
Skim the juices again, taste for seasoning and serve the duck garnished with the cherries and the de-fatted pan juices.