Crispy Roast Duck with Apples and Marjoram

For the roast duck with apples, first rinse the bird inside and out under cold running water and remove any loose feather quills you find. Pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels, as a dry surface is what lets the skin crisp up nicely in the oven. Rub the meat all over with salt, pepper and marjoram, working the seasoning across the breast, legs and into the cavity. Let it rest briefly at room temperature so the flavors have time to settle into the flesh.

Core two of the apples and cut each one into neat quarters. Peel the onion and halve it lengthwise through the root. Fill the cavity with this fruit and onion mixture, packing it loosely, then pin the opening shut with a couple of toothpicks so the stuffing stays securely in place while it cooks.

Preheat the oven to 160 °C. Set the stuffed bird breast-side up in a roasting pan, pour the water around the base and sprinkle the surface evenly with caraway. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and slide it into the oven for 2 hours. Open it up and baste with the collected pan juices every 30 minutes so the flesh stays moist and tender right through.

Quarter the remaining apples and arrange them around the pan so they soften and bake in the savory juices. Uncover the foil and raise the temperature to 200 °C. Continue for another 30 to 40 minutes, until the skin turns crisp and takes on a deep golden-brown color.

Transfer the cooked meat to a board and let it rest for 10 minutes so the juices settle back into the fibers. This short pause keeps them from running out the moment you carve. Meanwhile pour the collected pan juices into a small saucepan and simmer briefly into a light, glossy gravy.

Carve the rested bird into legs and breasts, then scoop the soft baked apples out of the cavity onto a warm platter. Arrange everything on warm plates alongside red cabbage and bread dumplings. Spoon over the gravy generously and garnish with a sprig of fresh marjoram.