Chinese five-spice duck with fennel and olives

If fennel bulbs are unavailable, use celery and a few fennel seeds.

Roast duck

2 ⅒ kgs	Duck, thawed, giblets removed (Main)
4	Shallots, sliced
1 large	Celery stalk, chopped
1 handful	Fennel fronds
1 tsp	Salt
1 tsp	Chinese five spice
1 large	Red onion
1	Fennel bulb
8 large	Pitted green olives

Glaze

1 Tbsp	Liquid honey
1 Tbsp	Hoisin sauce

Gravy

1 ½ cups	Chicken stock
½ tsp	Chinese five spice
1 Tbsp	Flour, up to 2 if needed, browned
1 to taste	Salt & freshly ground pepper

Directions

For the roast duck

1. Wash duck and pat dry inside and out. Stuff with shallots, celery and fennel fronds.
2. Tie with string to keep a good shape. Sprinkle evenly with salt and Chinese five-spice. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 2 hours to dry the skin.
3. Preheat oven to 150C. Place duck on a rack in a roasting pan, breast-side up. Roast for 35 minutes per 500g.
4. Vegetables: Halve onion and fennel bulb lengthwise. Cut each half into four wedges.
5. After 30 minutes, drain fat from roasting pan. Add onion, fennel bulb and olives.
6. Continue cooking, draining fat from pan a further once or twice during cooking.
7. During last 10 minutes, increase oven temperature to 180 degC. Brush duck with combined honey and hoisin sauce.

For the gravy

1. Meanwhile, boil chicken stock and Chinese five-spice for 3-4 minutes.
2. Remove duck, vegetables and olives to a platter and stand in a warm place.
3. Drain fat from roasting pan. Pour in half a cup of chicken stock and mix well with juices in the pan.
4. Pour into a small bowl. Add a quarter of the roasted red onion and fennel. Mix with a hand-blender until smooth. Pour back into remaining chicken stock.
5. Mix flour to a smooth paste with a little water then whisk into gravy, boiling until thickened. Season.