Duck a la Orange

Preheat oven to 450 Degrees F.

Rinse, trim excess fat from duck. Take a sharp knife and cut slits in the SKIN of the duck in a number of places on the back, ribs sides, thighs, drumsticks but NOT in the skin on the breast. Place duck on a rack in a roasting pan, laying it with the back up. Place in preheated oven for about 7 minutes. Turn duck over and place in oven for another 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven (turn oven off) and move duck to a cutting board and allow it to cool enough that you can handle it. Drain fat off pan and discard it. Reserve roasting pan. When duck has cooled, with a sharp knife, quarter the duck. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Place duck pieces skin side down on a roasting pan, sprinkle salt and black pepper. Bake in preheated oven at 350 Degree F. for 10 minutes. While duck is cooking, in a 2 quart saucepan, combine ginger ale with sliced ginger root; bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer until reduced to about 1 cup. Add orange juice, brown sugar, orange marmalade, and chopped green onions and 2 Tbsp brandy. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until mixture is a thin syrup. This takes about 30 minutes. Remove ginger; turn duck skin side up and drain off any fat. Baste thoroughly with sauce. Return to oven and bake for 7 minutes basting well. Add 3 Tbsp brandy to the remaining sauce and simmer until thickened. When duck has reached desired doneness (DON'T OVERCOOK), place duck on serving platter and pour sauce on it. Serve with wild rice, or parsleyed potatoes.