Go Back
–+ servings
perfectly cooked duck breast, carrot puree & orange sauce on a made of australia plate
Print

Duck & Orange Sauce

A twist on a classic duck a l'orange
Course Dinner
Cuisine French, Worldwide
Keyword duck & orange, duck a l'orange, duck breast
Prep Time 12 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time 8 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 420kcal
Author AnotherFoodBlogger

Equipment

  • frying pan
  • grill pan
  • saucepan x 2
  • Blender
  • wire rack
  • baking tray
  • Chef Knives
  • Chopping board

Ingredients

  • 4 duck breasts
  • 8 spring onions

Puree

  • 200 g carrots
  • 40 g butter
  • salt

Sauce

  • 120 ml fresh orange juice approx. 1 orange
  • 1 vanilla bean cut in 1/2 lengthways
  • 1 cinnamon
  • 1 anise
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 250 ml chicken stock
  • 1 pinch salt
Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Puree

  • Place carrots, butter & pinch of salt in a saucepan, cover with 200ml water and simmer on low heat until carrots are soft (approx. 15 minutes) – start making the puree
  • Mash the carrots and transfer carrots & remaining water/butter mix to a blender, blend until smooth
  • If more water is required at a tbsp at a time until carrots are a smooth consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary

Sauce

  • Add all ingredients into a saucepan and simmer until reduced to 1/3 volume (approx. 10-15 minutes) – start cooking the duck
  • Sauce should thicken up naturally and be of gravy consistency
  • Whisk a knob of butter into the sauce to emulsify it - thickens it and leaves it with a nice glossy look too!

Duck

  • Heat oven to 180c
  • Score the skin of the duck gently with a knife, being careful not to cut the flesh
  • Season generously with salt
  • In a cold frying pan on low heat place duck skin side down and cook for 8 minutes undisturbed
  • Flip the duck and cook for a further 2 minutes
  • Place the duck on a baking tray with a wire rack and cook in the oven for a further 3-4 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 52c
  • Reserve rendered duck fat for roasting some potatoes another time!
  • Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 8 minutes before slicing

Spring onions

  • While the duck is resting oil and season the spring onions
  • Cook in a grill pan on medium-high heat for 2 minutes per side or until they are nicely charred

Notes

Tips/Tricks

  • you can finish cooking the duck in the oven in the frying pan BUT I prefer to use a wire rack on a tray. This allows for the air to circulate around the duck and cook it more evenly
  • duck NEEDS to be well-rested. At least 8 minutes before slicing into it or else you will have a pool of blood on your plate and brown looking duck
  • the sauce & puree can all be made in advance and reheated at time of serving – making this a great dish to serve at dinner parties!

Nutrition

Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 176mg | Sodium: 361mg | Potassium: 909mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 9070IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 11mg