Roast duck stuffed with apricots

For this roast duck, first prepare the meat and the stuffing. Rinse the bird and pat it dry. Season it inside and out with salt, pepper and caraway. Wash the apricots, halve them and remove the stones. Chop the onion coarsely and mix it with the fruit, thyme leaves and a spoon of honey.

Put the prepared stuffing into the body cavity. Close the opening with toothpicks or sew it shut. Place the meat breast side up in a roasting tin and add a little water. Roast in an oven preheated to 160 degrees for about 2 hours. During roasting, baste it several times with the rendered juices and fat.

In the last half hour, raise the temperature to 200 degrees. Watch it closely. The skin will crisp up nicely then. It is done when the crackling is golden and the meat comes easily off the bone. Take the tin out of the oven and let the meat rest for 10 minutes.

Carve the rested meat and take out the fruit stuffing. Serve it with the apricots and the pan juices. Bread dumplings and braised cabbage go wonderfully with it.