Lets do it straight forward, my friends: if fennel bulbs are unavailable, use celery and a few fennel seeds.

Wash duck and pat dry inside and out. Stuff with shallots, celery and fennel fronds.

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.

Preheat oven to 150C. Place duck on a rack in a roasting pan, breast-side up. Roast for 35 minutes per 500g.

Vegetables: Halve onion and fennel bulb lengthwise. Cut each half into four wedges. After 30 minutes, drain fat from roasting pan. Add onion, fennel bulb and olives.
Continue cooking, draining fat from pan a further once or twice during cooking.
During last 10 minutes, increase oven temperature to 180C. Brush duck with combined honey and hoisin sauce.

For the gravy:
Meanwhile, boil chicken stock and Chinese five-spice for 3-4 minutes.

Remove duck, vegetables and olives to a platter and stand in a warm place.

Drain fat from roasting pan. Pour in half a cup of chicken stock and mix well with juices in the pan.

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.

Mix flour to a smooth paste with a little water then whisk into gravy, boiling until thickened.

Season.