Duck a l'Orange

Name: Duck a l'Orange
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: duck breast 320 g; orange juice 180 ml; orange zest 1 tsp; butter 1 tbsp; sugar 1 tbsp; red wine vinegar 1 tbsp; salt 0.7 tsp; black pepper 0.5 tsp

Quick answer

Total time: 45 min
Level: Hard
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Crisp, rendered duck skin set against a glossy, bittersweet orange sauce makes this French classic work.

Starting the breast skin-side down in a cold pan lets the thick fat melt out slowly and leaves the skin thin and crackling instead of greasy. While the breast rests somewhere warm, the sauce is built in the same pan from a quick caramel of sugar and red wine vinegar, then orange juice and zest reduced until glossy. Push the reduction too far and the zest turns bitter. Butter swirled in off the heat gives the sauce its shine before it is spooned over the duck, sliced on the bias.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

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Instructions

6 steps

1

Pat the 320 g duck breast dry, then score only the skin in a tight crosshatch pattern.

Do not cut into the meat. Season evenly with 0.7 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper.
2

Set the duck skin-side down in a cold pan, then turn the heat to medium-low.

Cook slowly for 8 to 12 minutes, spooning off excess fat if needed, until the skin is golden and crisp.
3

When the skin feels firm and crisp, flip the duck and cook the meat side for only 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer it to a warm spot and rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.
4

Pour off the rendered duck fat, leaving only a thin film in the pan.

Add 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, then cook until the mixture darkens and smells like caramel.
5

Add 180 ml orange juice and 1 tsp orange zest, then reduce over medium heat by about half.

Stop before it becomes syrupy or harsh. The sauce should lightly coat a spoon.
6

Turn off the heat and swirl in 1 tbsp butter until the sauce looks glossy.

Slice the rested duck on the bias, arrange it on plates, and spoon the orange sauce over and alongside.