Duck with Orange Sauce

Duck breast with a crispy skin and tender heart. The sauce is reduced and glossy, with a sharp balance between vinegar acidity and fruit sweetness.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 25 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 609
• Protein: 39 g
• Carbs: 37 g
• Fat: 26 g

Ingredients

• 4 piece Duck fillet ( scored )
• 4 piece Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck ( in segments )
• 60 g White sugar
• 100 ml Red wine vinegar
• 200 ml Orange juice
• 80 g Minimum butter sweet ( cold, cubed )
• 2 pinch Fleur de sel
• 2 pinch Black pepper ground
• 300 ml Veal stock concentrate ( thickened )
• 40 ml Orange liqueur

Instructions

1. Duck preparation

   Score the duck fat with the tip of a knife without touching the meat. Salt generously with fleur de sel.

2. Cooking and rendering fat

   Start cooking in a cold pan, skin side down. Let the fat melt slowly until the skin is golden and crispy. Remove excess rendered fat.

3. Making the gastrique

   In a small saucepan, melt the sugar dry until a light caramel is obtained. Deglaze with red wine vinegar and reduce by half.

4. Sauce reduction

   Add the orange juice, veal stock, and orange liqueur to the gastrique. Reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Whisk in cold butter to emulsify and add shine.

5. Finishing

   Slice the duck after 5 minutes of resting. The meat should be pink. Arrange the orange segments and coat with boiling sauce.

Chef's tips

• Do not discard the rendered duck fat; filter and save it for roasting potatoes.
• Resting the meat is crucial: it allows fibers to relax and juices to redistribute for an evenly pink result.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Reheated duck loses its pink texture and becomes tough.