| Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place the duck in a large open ceramic or glass baking dish (not metal!). I leave the organs in the duck, but that choice is up to you. Rub the outside and inside of the duck with oil and salt and pepper. Add about a cup of water to the dish and the bay leaf. Bake for 50 minutes, basting every 10 minutes by drawing from the juice that's inside the duck. Then remove from the oven, cover the dish with good quality plastic wrap, and microwave for 40 minutes. Check to see if it's done. If it's not, another 10 minutes or so in the oven will finish cooking it. Remove the plastic wrap before putting it back in the oven. The duck should end up juicy and tender inside, with slightly crisp skin (from the oil). |
