For Easter or another celebration, what could be more festive than a whole roast duck, its crisp skin golden and burnished? The preparation may seem intimidating, but it is very similar to roasting a chicken. The main difference is that duck takes a bit more tending. It takes longer to cook, and a lot of fat is rendered as the duck roasts; this must be poured off from time to time as it accumulates. Apricot jam with a touch of vinegar creates a glaze of pleasing contrasts, and apples, shallots, and rosemary tucked into the cavity perfume the meat as it cooks.

Add potatoes near the end of cooking to give them a head start, then layer in more contrasts with olives and prunes. Finally, brush the duck with the glaze until the skin is a deep golden brown. You only need to add a salad or a green vegetable to complete the meal. Salty olives, sweet prunes, apricot glaze, rich meat, and crisp skin come together to deliver a knockout dinner.

Sally Pasley Vargas

Whole roast duck with apricot glaze, prunes, and olives

Serves 4

GLAZE

¼ cup water

3 tablespoons apricot jam

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

¼ teaspoon salt

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk the water, jam, vinegar, and salt until combined.

2. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 seconds. Set aside.

DUCK

1 Long Island (Pekin) duck (5 to 6 pounds)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 apple, quartered

3 shallots

1 bunch rosemary

12 small waxy potatoes such as yellow or red creamers

½ cup white wine

1 cup pitted prunes

¾ cup pitted green olives

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Have on hand a roasting pan with a rack.

2. Remove the neck and giblets from the duck cavity, and save for another use such as stock. Pull off and discard the fat deposits from the neck flap skin and the cavity. Prick the skin all over with the tip of a paring knife, taking care not to pierce the flesh.

3. Sprinkle the cavity and the outside of the duck generously with salt. Stuff the apple pieces, shallots, and rosemary into the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the neck flap under the bird. Set the duck on the rack, breast side up, in the roasting pan.

4. Roast the duck for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour off the excess fat from the pan into a bowl. (If you like, save and use for cooking.) Add the potatoes to the pan and roast for 15 minutes longer.

5. Remove the duck from the oven again. Add the wine, prunes, and olives to the pan. If the glaze has cooled, warm it gently to thin it. Brush the glaze over the duck and return it to the oven. Continue to brush with glaze every 10 to 12 minutes. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes longer, or until the skin is crisp and golden and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165 degrees. Check often and tent with foil if the glaze starts to brown too quickly. (Total cooking time is about 2 hours and 20 minutes.) Remove and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.

6. To carve the duck, start with the legs: Use a sharp knife to cut between a leg and the breast. Pick the duck up so you can slice around the joint, and use your fingers to snap the leg joint. Slice along the backbone to separate the leg and thigh from the carcass. Repeat with the second leg. Once the legs are separated from the carcass, place the duck with the breast side up. Cut along the breastbone on one side of the duck to release it from the carcass, and repeat on the other side. Sally Pasley Vargas

Sally Pasley Vargas can be reached at sally.p.vargas@gmail.com.