Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock’s Roast Duckling Stuffed with Oysters and Red Rice

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauté pan until foaming. Quickly sauté the oysters, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper, just until the edges begin to curl — about 1 minutes. Transfer to a colander set over a bowl to cool and drain. If the oysters are large, cut them in half. Add the reserved oyster liquor to the drained juices.

Pour 1/2 inch of water into a heavy skillet, add the sausage, and cook, uncovered, about 10 minutes (you may have to add more water). Now let the water cook off and the sausage turn deep brown and firm. Heat the bacon fat in the skillet, and add the onion. Sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme, bell pepper, chilis, and ground chili. Cook until the vegetables are well cooked but not deeply colored, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, and cook 3 minutes, stirring often to avoid coloring. Add salt and pepper to taste, tomato paste, and tomatoes; continue cooking about 3 minutes.

Measure the reserved oyster juices, and add enough stock to make 1 1/4 cups. Add this to the vegetables. Cover and simmer gently, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings.

Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a large, heavy nonreactive pan. Add the rice, and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the grains are all coated. Add the sausage and the tomato mixture to the rice, and cover tightly. Cook over medium-low heat until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Toss in the oysters, adjust seasonings, and let cool completely before stuffing the bird.

Wash and dry the duck. Remove the giblets and other innards from the cavity of the duck. Remove excess fat from the two cavity openings. Tuck any extra neck skin into the neck cavity. The giblets may be saved for soup or stock, and the fat may be used for rendering or for a pâté.

Spoon as much of the stuffing into the duck as will fit, and use skewers to secure the skin closed. Any extra stuffing can be spooned into an ovenproof casserole dish and placed in the oven with the stuffed duck for the last 30 minutes of roasting.

Rub the duck with salt and sprinkle it with pepper, prick the skin of the breast and sides with a knife to allow rendered fat to drip out, then place the duck on a rack in a roasting pan. It’s ready for the oven.

Roast for 2 hours in the preheated oven, pouring fat off once or twice during cooking to keep spattering down. After 2 hours, turn up the heat to 425°F and roast for another 10 minutes to crisp the skin.