December 2025

A recipe for roast duck that's perfect for an intimate Christmas dinner

Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: 1 x 2.5-2.75kg duck (including giblet weight); 2 onions, peeled and roughly wedged; 3 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds; 1tbsp plain flour; 250g onion, chopped; 125g unsalted butter; 350g white breadcrumbs; 1 large lemon, zest and juice; 4tbsp parsley and pale celery leaves, chopped; 2 small eggs; Duck giblets; 1 onion, chopped; 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped; 1 stick of celery, chopped; 6 peppercorns; 1 clove; 1 bay leaf

Anna Tobias, the chef behind stylish Bloomsbury restaurant Café Deco, offers a recipe for roast duck that works beautifully for smaller families at Christmas

By Anna Tobias

12 December 2025

Image may contain Food Meat Mutton Food Presentation and Pork

Tara Fisher

“Christmas is the one time we're encouraged to overindulge, and what a joy it can be”, says Anna Tobias, chef at London restaurant Café Deco. “For the main course, I've opted for duck, as it's rich but also an easy size to manage. My family is on the smaller side, so it's perfect for us, and it's more fun than turkey. I also think you get more bang for your buck with a duck over a goose - there's less faff with draining off fat, and you get comparatively more meat for the size. There aren't many things better than crispy duck skin! And the citrus in this stuffing is a great foil to the richness of the meat.”

Wine notes

The medium-bodied Cuvée No. 1 2022 from Weingut Klumpp in Germany's Baden region is a blend of Lemberger, Saint Laurent, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. Its peppery, dark cherry character, mellow tannins and lively acidity provide an ideal foil for the duck's savoury richness (£20.50; yapp.co.uk).

Wine notes

Recipe notes