Duck Breasts a l’Orange (GF)

Welcome to another edition of Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a progressive dinner party. This month I get to be the hostess with the mostest and I chose Flavors of France for our theme and made Duck Breasts a l’Orange for my entree. Our trips over the years left a lasting impression and I thought it would be fun to see how the other gals interpret their French favorites. I know you’ll love all the recipes – this is one creative bunch! Make sure you check out the links below the recipe.

When I was growing up, chicken was the poultry of choice for our family with turkey as our primary holiday treat. Duck always seemed so exotic to me and I never tried it. I finally got to when I was a young teenager.

Occasionally when my father was heading out for a business trip, he would bring mom and me along. My brothers were older and in college when these trips would come up, so I was the only kid still at home. There are some benefits to being the youngest.

It was my first trip to New York City and my dad was showing us the town. We were having dinner in the Rainbow Room at the top of Rockefeller Plaza with the lights of the city laid out below us like a carpet.  My dad had wrangled us a table next to the windows and I was enthralled. I will never forget that view or how grown up I felt sitting in the elegant restaurant.

The menu was fascinating. Here was my chance to eat like a grown up, so I ordered the duck.

I thought it would taste like chicken and was shocked when it arrived, a deep pink color with a slightly stronger flavor. It was a little too much to my unsophisticated palate, so I swapped plates with my dad, enjoying every bite of the steak he had ordered. It was years later before I tried duck again and this time it was a totally different experience. I fell in love.

The duck we get today is usually farm raised and much less gamy than it used to be, so don’t be afraid to try it. It is now one of my favorite proteins and The Artist and I enjoy it several times a year, including this evening for our anniversary.

Most poultry is delicious served with a fruit pan sauce, and I think duck is particularly suited to it, especially citrus flavors. The bright and slightly sour fruit helps cut through the richness of the duck, giving us a delectable sauce and one of the best of classic French dishes.

The real trick to the dish is to render the fat on the breast, crisping the skin perfectly without overcooking the meat. Duck should always be served medium-rare for the tenderest bite. The mistake most people make is overcooking it and they wind up with a tough bird that is barely palatable.

I hope you love these Duck Breasts a l’Orange as much as I do. It is perfect for special occasions or holidays ~ Birthdays, Christmas, Anniversaries, New Year’s Eve, and Valentine’s Day would all be wonderful times to serve this. Perhaps it will start a tradition of hosting an elegant French-themed dinner every year. The links below the recipe will give you many ideas on ways to fill out your menu and thrill your family and friends.

Bon Appetit! 

If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!

 

Ingredients needed for Duck Breasts a l’Orange:

• Sauce: orange zest, Naval oranges, sugar, water, dry vermouth, apple cider vinegar, fresh orange juice, shallots, chicken broth
• Duck: duck breasts, butter, duck fat, chopped parsley

 

PRO Tip:

The recipe calls for fresh Naval oranges to be cut into segments. If oranges aren’t at their peak, or you don’t have time to cut the segments out, you can use canned mandarin oranges. It is a quick and easy substitute. Not quite as delicious as fresh fruit, but a good alternative that will save you time.

 

How to make Duck Breasts a l’Orange:

1. Make the Sauce: Zest the oranges and place zest in a small bowl, cover, and set aside. Segment the oranges (see PRO Tip below and video link). Place the orange segments in a bowl with the accumulated juices.
2. In a saucepan with a light interior, combine the sugar and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring, raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a full boil. Place a lid on the pan, letting the steam wash down the sides for about 2 minutes. Remove the lid and cook the sugar without stirring until it caramelizes and becomes deep golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat, stand back and carefully add the vermouth and vinegar. Avoid being splashed by the furiously boiling sugar mixture. Stir the mixture then add the orange juice and shallots. Bring back to a boil and cook over medium heat until reduced to about 1/2 cup, stirring occasionally, maintaining a low boil, about 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, bring back to a boil, reduce the heat to medium or med-low and cook until reduce to about 1 cup, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and set on the back of the stove, keeping warm over very low heat, stirring occasionally. This can be made up to 6 hours ahead.
4. Prepare the Duck: Using a sharp knife, cut into the fat cap on the duck breasts in diagonal strips without cutting into the meat below. Turn the breasts and repeat the cutting to create a diamond pattern. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
5. Place the duck, skin-side down in a cold heavy large skillet and set the heat to medium-low. Cook until the skin is deep golden brown and crispy and the fat beneath it has rendered out into the pan. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Flip the breasts over to cook the second side, cooking just 2 to 3 minutes or until the duck registers 120°F to 125°F (49°C to 52°C). Transfer to a cutting board, loosely tent with foil and let rest for about 5 minutes.
7. Remove all but 2 tbsp of fat from the pan, saving it in a small container. It is liquid gold! Add the butter to the pan and melt, then pour in the sauce you made earlier and the orange zest.
8. Assemble the Plates: Slice the duck breasts crosswise on the diagonal and arrange the slices on serving plates, fanning them into a decorative pattern. Spoon some of the sauce over the sliced duck, add some orange segments as garnish and sprinkle a little parsley on each serving.
9. Add remaining orange segments to the rest of the sauce, stirring together. Pass the sauce at the table so everyone can add more if they want. You can keep the sauce in the refrigerator, covered, for a few days.

 

PRO Tip: How to Peel and Segment an Orange

Using a small sharp knife, slice of the top and bottom off each orange, deep enough to expose some of the flesh. Set the orange on one flat end. Working from the top to the bottom and using a sawing motion, slice the peel in strips, following the curve of the orange. Cut deep enough to remove all the white but don’t cut too much of the orange flesh. Repeat, moving around the orange for each cut. Go back and trim off any remaining white pith.

Now holding the peeled orange in the palm of your hand, and working over a clean bowl, carefully slice right next to one of the white membranes. Then move your knife to the opposite side of that segment and make another cut releasing the segment. Slice down on the far side of the second membrane and again on the other side of that segment, releasing another segment. Keep working around until all the segments have been removed from the membrane. Then squeeze the remaining juice from the membrane and throw the solid portion away. Repeat with the remaining oranges.

It is easy but may be a little intimidating the first time you do it. Don’t rush. With practice it gets easier. Here is a video from Fine Cooking that does a very good job of demonstrating this technique and when you’ve seen it done, it will be easy to replicate. The oranges can be prepared up to 6 hours ahead. Store, covered, in a bowl in the refrigerator with the juice you squeezed from the membranes.

 

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Microplane zester
• Paring knife
• Heavy-duty medium saucepan (with light interior and lid)
• Universal lid
• Chef’s knife
• 12-inch heavy skillet
• Instant read thermometer

 

Gluten-Free Tips:

* The major gluten-free organizations have declared that distilled alcohols are gluten free. Wine and vermouth are also considered safe. For some very sensitive people wine may cause issues. In a few rare cases, wine makers may use barrels that have minute amounts of gluten in the caulk. If you have issues with wine, look for a winery that uses only stainless steel containers to age their wines.

You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

 

 

This recipe is part of our monthly progressive dinner party called Progressive Eats. See the links below for more inspiration and great recipes!

Join us for the Flavors of France!

Appetizers

• Tarte á l’Oignon – French Onion Tart from Spice Roots
• Gougeres filled with Bechamel aux Champignons from Pastry Chef Online

Salad

• French Carrot Salad from Stetted
• Salade de Tomates et Fromage from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Soups

• Provencal Vegetable Soup Au Pistou from Mother Would Know

Main Course

• Duck Breasts a l’Orange from The Heritage Cook (You are here)

Bread

• Fig and Anise Bread from The Wimpy Vegetarian

Veggies/Sides

• Zucchini Summer Squash Tomato Gratin from Jeanette’s Healthy Living

Drinks

• Kir Royale from Miss in the Kitchen

Desserts

• Lemon Glazed Madeleines from Barbara Bakes
• Triple-Layer Chocolate Macaroon Cake from François Payard from Creative Culinary

 

 

 

Create a New Tradition Today!

 

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