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Quacky The First: French

Quacky The First: French

French food is great, it’s full of butter and booze, which pleases me. I cook quite a few French dishes, but have never made duck in this way before. The last time I made a duck breast dish, it was a simple confit, but this is so super tasty. I have nothing to compare my efforts too, seeing as in France I tried to eat things I’d never had before, and the duck dishes I had there were of the garlic confit kind as well. There is always next time J

I made this just for me, although the sauce is enough for two duck breasts – I poured it over chicken for Dave.

Duck A L’Orange:

1 x Duck breast
Marjoram and salt
Half an orange, peeled and sectioned
1 clove garlic
1 x Tblspn brown sugar
1 x Tblspn butter
½ cup chicken or duck stock (I used the continental gel stock)
½ cup orange juice
splash of champagne
half shot of Cointreau
Duck fat

Dry your duck breast and leave out in the fridge for as long as you can – I did it for 3 hours, but it would have been better overnight – just to dry out the skin. When it’s dry enough, rub the underside with marjoram and the whole thing with a bit of salt. Roast in a 200 degree oven in duck fat (about a tablesoon – just use a small pan if only cooking one, and don’t submerge the skin) for about half an hour. If the skin isn’t crisping up, turn the heat up towards the end. Some people like to quickly fry it skin side down at this point, but mine crisped up nice, sort of like crackle.

duckbreast duck breast

 

 

 

 

 

 

While the duck is roasting, melt the butter in a small saucepan/frypan and then melt the brown sugar into it. Throw in the orange sections and caramelise them. Once they are a little brown, pour in the stock, champagne, orange juice and smoosh the garlic in there. Bring to a rolling simmer and reduce it by a third. Once it’s a bit syrupy, add in the Cointreau and flame it. Reduce for another minute and remove from heat. To make the most of the sauce, slice your duck breast up and serve on top of garlicy, creamy mashed potato!

orangesauceflamer

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