Ingredients

• 75g/3oz butter
• 75g/3oz bacon, finely chopped
• 2 eggs
• 250ml/8fl oz milk
• 50g/2oz ground almonds
•   fresh parsley, a little, chopped
•   nutmeg, a little, freshly grated
• 300g/11oz bread, cubed
• 2.25-2.75kg/5-6lb oven-ready duck, thawed if frozen

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Make the stuffing: melt the butter and fry the chopped bacon until it is just golden.
3. Whisk the eggs, milk and almonds together with the parsley and nutmeg. Add the bacon and mix well. Pour the mixture over the bread cubes.
4. Turn the duck on to its breast and spoon in the stuffing under the skin, using cocktail sticks to secure.
5. Place the duck on a roasting rack, transfer to the oven and cook, allowing 20 minutes cooking time per 450g/1lb of meat (weighed after stuffing).
6. When the duck is cooked through, transfer to a large serving plate, cover loosely with foil and leave to stand for 15 minutes before carving.

Notes