Duck à l’Orange

Ingredients

• 1 Duck breast, skin on
• Sea salt (to taste, for the duck and sauce)
• Black pepper (to taste, for the duck and sauce)
• 1 tbsp Granulated sugar
• 25 ml Vinegar of choice (specified as sherry vinegar in the method)
• 20 ml Cointreau
• 100 ml Fresh orange juice
• 150 ml Chicken stock
• 15 g Unsalted butter (cold; the source gives a range of 15–20 g)
• Orange segments (for serving)
• Fresh chives (for serving)
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 1 tbsp Vinegar of choice (for the glaze)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 0.5 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 Garlic (clove, lightly crushed)
• 1 Thyme (small sprig for glaze; some additional thyme is called for in the sauce but no amount is specified)
• Orange peel (2–3 strips)
• Rosemary (mentioned in the glaze method but omitted from the ingredient list; amount unspecified)
• Cornstarch slurry (only a tiny amount if the sauce is not thick enough; no quantity given)
• Dried edible flowers (optional, for finishing)

Steps

1. 1

   Make the glaze: combine the honey, glaze vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, crushed garlic, rosemary, thyme, and orange peel in a small saucepan.

2. 2

   Simmer the glaze until glossy and syrupy. Remove the aromatics and set the glaze aside.

3. 3

   Make the sauce: melt the granulated sugar in a saucepan until it forms an amber caramel.

4. 4

   Carefully add the 25 ml vinegar (identified as sherry vinegar in the method) and let the caramel dissolve.

5. 5

   Add the Cointreau and simmer for about 1 minute.

6. 6

   Add the orange juice and chicken stock, then add some thyme. Reduce until concentrated and glossy, ideally to a light jus consistency.

7. 7

   Remove the sauce from the heat and take out the thyme. Whisk in the cold butter, then season with sea salt and black pepper. Use only a tiny amount of cornstarch slurry if the sauce is not thick enough.

8. 8

   Season the duck breast with sea salt and black pepper.

9. 9

   Place the duck skin-side down in a cold, dry pan. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for 8–12 minutes, pouring off excess rendered fat as needed, until the skin is deeply golden and crisp.

10. 10

    Flip the duck and cook the flesh side for 1–2 minutes.

11. 11

    Brush the glaze over the crispy duck skin.

12. 12

    Transfer the duck to an oven at 180°C and cook for around 4 minutes, or until the centre reaches 52–54°C.

13. 13

    Remove the duck from the oven and rest it for 8–10 minutes.

14. 14

    Slice the rested duck and arrange it with the orange segments. Spoon the glossy orange sauce around it, then finish with fresh chives and dried edible flowers if using.

Notes

The glaze method includes rosemary, which is absent from the ingredient list; no amount is supplied. The sauce method also calls for additional thyme without specifying an amount, and mentions a small cornstarch slurry only if needed. The listed duck is one breast, so the serving estimate is one. The method calls the sauce vinegar sherry vinegar, while the ingredient list says vinegar of choice.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• French
• duck
• dinner-party
• date-night
• oven-finished
• pan-seared