Duck Pâté

Preheat your oven to a high temperature of 250 degrees F (which is equivalent to 120 degrees C). To prepare the baking dish, cover it with two large sheets of aluminum foil to prevent food from sticking and make cleanup easier.

Create the spice blend by mixing kosher salt, black pepper, and thyme together in a small bowl. Next, combine garlic, thyme sprigs, ginger, and bay leaves in another bowl to make the seasoning mix.

Apply a generous amount of the spice blend, about two-thirds of it, to the duck on both the inside and outside surfaces. Fill the cavity with all of the seasoning mix, making sure everything is well-coated.

Place the duck in the prepared baking dish with its breast side facing upwards. Sprinkle any remaining spice blend on top of the duck for added flavor. Wrap the duck tightly in aluminum foil to create a sealed package.

Roast the duck in the preheated oven for an extended period of time, about 5 to 6 hours. The meat should pull away from the bones when it's cooked through, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (which is equivalent to 74 degrees C).

Once the duck has cooled down, wrap it tightly in aluminum foil and refrigerate it at room temperature for about 1 hour. Then, chill the duck in the refrigerator for a total of 12 hours.

After the chilling process, carefully remove the meat from the bones and place it in a bowl.

Next, transfer all of the accumulated juices that were left in the foil to a saucepan and heat it over medium-high heat until hot throughout, about 5 minutes. Strain the juices through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl to separate the fat and stock.

Allow the fat and stock to separate, then transfer the fat from the top of the bowl into another container.

Mash the duck meat with 3 tablespoons of duck fat, 2 tablespoons of duck stock, butter, brandy, parsley, chives, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl using a wooden spoon. Transfer the mixture to a sealable container, press down firmly, and drizzle a little duck fat over the top. Sprinkle thyme leaves, more black pepper, and orange zest over the top of the container. Seal the container tightly and refrigerate for 1 to 3 days, allowing the flavors to blend together.