Duck a l'Orange
- 2 Pekin (Long Island) duck breasts or 1 mallard breast (1 1/2 to 2 pounds each)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 juicing orange or 6 kumquats
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup concentrated duck broth, 2 tablespoons homemade duck glaze or 1 tablespoon commercial glaze
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange flavored liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic, sherry, or red wine vinegar, or more to taste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
- Orange wedges
- Use a sharp knife to score the skin side of the duck breasts in 2 directions, about 20 slashes per direction.
- Season the breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Reserve in the refrigerator.
- Cut off 1 end so the orange can stand on the cutting board, and slice off 2 (2-inch) strips of zest.
- Cut the zest into fine julienne, then blanch the zest for 1 minute in the cup of boiling water.
- Juice the orange, strain the juice into a saucepan, and boil it until it's reduced to about 1 tablespoon.
- If you're using the kumquats instead, cut the round ends off the kumquats and eat or discard them.
- Set the kumquats on 1 end and use a sharp paring knife to trim the zest off three of them.
- Cut all the kumquats in half lengthwise, and working over a strainer set in a non-reactive bowl, remove the pulp with a small spoon.
- Push the pulp against the strainer to extract the juice.
- (Don't worry if you end up with only a tablespoon or 2.)
- Place the kumquat zests on a cutting board and slice them into fine julienne.
- Bring the 1/2 cup water to a boil over high heat, blanch the zests for 1 minute, then drain them in a strainer.
- If you're using concentrated duck broth, reduce it in a small saucepan to about 2 tablespoons until it's lightly syrupy.
- Heat a saute pan over medium to high heat and saute the duck breasts, skin side down, 8 to 10 minutes for the Pekin duck breasts and 12 to 18 minutes for the mallard.
- Turn the breasts over, adjust the heat to high, and cook for 1 minute for the Pekin duck and 2 minutes for the mallard.
- Pour the fat out of the pan if it hasn't burned, save it for omelets and deglaze the pan with the reduced kumquats or orange juice.
- Use a whisk to add the glaze.
- Add the sugar, Grand Marnier, kumquat or orange zest, and vinegar, and simmer the sauce for about 30 seconds to cook off the alcohol.
- At this point, adjust the thickness of the sauce its consistency is up to you, but many cooks make their sauces too thick; add 1 or 2 teaspoons water to thin it or simmer the sauce for a moment to reduce and thicken it.
- Whisk in the cold butter, keeping the pan and whisk moving until all the butter melts.
- (Don't let it sit without whisking or the butter will separate.)
- Season, to taste, with the pepper, and if necessary, a few more drops of vinegar.
- Slice the breasts crosswise, arrange the slices on individual heated plates, and spoon the sauce over the breasts.
- Serve hot, with orange wedges if desired.
pekin, salt, orange, water, duck broth, sugar, orange flavored liqueur, balsamic, cold unsalted butter, orange wedges
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/duck-a-lorange-recipe20.html (may not work)