Duck & Orange Sauce

A twist on a classic duck a l'orange

📝 Ingredients

• 4 duck breasts
• 8 spring onions
• 200 g carrots
• 40 g butter
• salt
• 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

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Puree ---
2. 2Place 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
3. 3Mash the carrots and transfer carrots & remaining water/butter mix to a blender, blend until smooth
4. 4If more water is required at a tbsp at a time until carrots are a smooth consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary
5. 5--- Sauce ---
6. 6Add all ingredients into a saucepan and simmer until reduced to 1/3 volume (approx. 10-15 minutes) – start cooking the duck
7. 7Sauce should thicken up naturally and be of gravy consistency
8. 8Whisk a knob of butter into the sauce to emulsify it - thickens it and leaves it with a nice glossy look too!
9. 9--- Duck ---
10. 10Heat oven to 180c
11. 11Score the skin of the duck gently with a knife, being careful not to cut the flesh
12. 12Season generously with salt
13. 13In a cold frying pan on low heat place duck skin side down and cook for 8 minutes undisturbed
14. 14Flip the duck and cook for a further 2 minutes
15. 15Place 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
16. 16Reserve rendered duck fat for roasting some potatoes another time!
17. 17Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 8 minutes before slicing
18. 18--- Spring onions ---
19. 19While the duck is resting oil and season the spring onions
20. 20Cook in a grill pan on medium-high heat for 2 minutes per side or until they are nicely charred