Roast Duck or Goose

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Trim any excess fat, rinse the bird inside and out, and pat it dry. Slip your fingers or a rubber spatula between the fat and the meat to separate them, and prick the skin all over with a sharp-tined fork, taking care not to prick the meat. If possible, turn on a fan to let the bird air-dry while it comes to room temperature. Stuff the bird three-quarters full. Rub the outside with the olive oil and then massage the bird thoroughly with the salt and pepper mixture. Tie the legs together loosely.

Put the bird in a roasting pan (preferably fitted with a rack). Pour the water in the pan. Position the pan so that the bird's legs point toward the back of the oven. Roast for 45 min. Remove the pan from the oven and pour off the fat and water. Separate the fat to use for basting.

Return the bird to the oven and increase the temperature to 400 degrees F. Continue to cook for another 1 hour and 15 minutes for a duck; 2 hours for a goose. During this time, pour grease off once or twice more.

For the last hour of roasting, turn the pan so that the legs face the front of the oven. Refrain from basting for the last half hour of cooking time. The bird is done when the juices run clear from a thigh pricked all the way down to the joint and when a meat thermometer inserted in the inner thigh below the leg joint reads 175 to 180 degrees F. A thermometer inserted in the stuffing's center should read at least 160 degrees F. Transfer the bird to a platter and let it rest 15 minutes before carving.