Braised Duck in Orange Sauce

Duck and oranges

1. For duck with oranges, it is best to take the whole fillet of a large young duck, cut off together with the skin. As a rule, this is one big piece of dense duck meat weighing more than 0.5 kg, which is not split into two fillets like a chicken carcass. The meat takes time to cook. Shops sell prepared duck breasts in vacuum packs, and the meat has not been frozen.

   

   You will need large sweet oranges. They give plenty of juice, and the zest is easy to cut. Do not use unripe or sour oranges: duck does not “like” cooking in an acidic environment, and it may turn out tough, though still tasty.

2. Wash the oranges thoroughly and dry them.

   

3. Rinse the duck fillet, removing any leftover feathers. Pat the meat dry with paper towels.

Searing and braising

1. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan. Put the whole fillet into the hot oil and fry over medium heat, turning often, until the surface of the meat, including the skin on one side, is browned.

   Searing is very important: the crust keeps all the juices inside the meat. Also make sure the duck does not burn.

   

2. Remove the zest from the oranges in strips 2-3 mm wide, leaving as little white pith as possible. It is easy: with the tip of a knife score the orange layer 1-1.5 mm deep at the right intervals, then peel the orange very thinly with a knife or a vegetable peeler.

3. Add the zest to the browned duck fillet: for aromatic duck with oranges, the meat should be braised with orange zest.

   

4. Salt the fillet, add a pinch of coarsely ground chili and 1-2 allspice berries.

5. Pour 3 cups of water (600 ml) or chicken (vegetable) broth into the pan. Bring the liquid to a boil and cover the pan with a lid.

6. Braise the duck breast covered over low heat until done, turning occasionally. Fillet of young duck usually takes 45-60 mins; check doneness by piercing it: the tip of a knife should go in with slight resistance.

   Do not add orange juice while the duck is braising, as the meat may stay tough. Alternatively, you can add the juice, and even white wine, closer to the end of cooking, when the duck is already tender.

7. Slice the duck 1-1.5 cm thick and braise in the sauce for another 15 mins.

   

Orange sauce

1. Take the cooked duck out of the sauce and remove any remaining strips of zest. Put it on a plate and cover it with something, such as an upturned soup plate.

2. Take the strips of orange zest and the allspice berries out of the sauce the duck was braised in. Set a few strips of zest aside for garnish.

3. Keep half an orange for serving, squeeze the juice from the rest and strain it. Add the juice to the sauce.

4. Add a shot (50 ml) of Cointreau orange liqueur and 1 tsp of brown sugar (5 g).

   Cointreau can be replaced with a similar liqueur: Triple Sec, Grand Marnier, or orange blossom water.

5. Without covering the pan, thicken the orange sauce over medium heat to the consistency of not-too-thick honey. Add salt and spices to taste if you like.

   

Serving

1. Arrange the duck slices on a plate and pour the orange sauce over them.

2. Garnish with strips of zest and orange segments with all the membranes and white fibers removed, the same way the fruit is prepared for the Sicilian orange salad. If you like, serve the rest of the sauce separately in a small sauce boat. Serve the dish right away, while the duck is hot.