The combination of duck and oranges is quite popular, and there are many variations on the theme, some French and others Italian. Chef Alessio Pesucci of the Locanda del Gallo uses duck breasts, and his recipe offers a pleasant change of pace from more standard Anatra all'Arancio or Canard á L'Orange. To serve 6 you'll need:
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 pounds (1200 g) duck breasts (1 breast per every 2 people), with their skins
- 1 1/4 pounds (575 g) oranges, ideally untreated
- Sugar - you'll need twice the weight of the zest; Alessio used about 2/3 (120 g) cup
- 2/5 cup (100 ml) Martini Bianco
- Several sprigs fresh rosemary
- 24 peppercorns, 4 per person
- 18 juniper berries, 3 per person
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 heaping teaspoon cornstarch
Preparation:
Begin by rolling the oranges against your work surface, pressing down hard to help release the juice in the sections. Wash them well and use a potato peeler to remove the zest (just the orange part). Cut the zest into thin strips (i.e. julienne it) and set it aside.
Cut the oranges in half, squeeze them, and put the juice -- at least a cup, and ideally more -- in a bowl.
Score the skins of the duck breasts in a diamond pattern. Put the breasts in a bowl and sprinkle a third of the orange juice and a third of the martini over them. Put the sprigs of rosemary between them, cover them, and marinate them for at least two hours in the refrigerator.
In the meantime, combine the sugar with a little water in a saucepot, add the julienned orange zest, and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes.
Roll the butter in the cornstarch, working it until it has absorbed the cornstarch.
In a second saucepot combine the remaining orange juice with the peppercorns, and juniper berries. Simmer until the mixture is reduced by 50%. Add the bay leaves and the Martini and simmer two minutes more. Next, remove and discard the bay leaves, and then add the ball of cornstarchy butter. Reduce the heat and cook gently until the sauce thickens, then drain and add the candied orange zest. Keep warm.
By now your duck breasts will have marinated and it's time to see to them too. Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C). Heat a skillet large enough for the duck breasts to lie flat over a moderate flame, and lay the duck breasts on it (discard the rosemary), skin-side down. Cook for a few minutes, keeping in mind that duck skin sears easily -- don't burn them! Once the skin side is browned, turn the breasts and brown the other sides as well, before transferring them to an oven dish and roasting them for 5-7 minutes -- you don't want them to be really rare, but they shouldn't be well done either.
When they are done slice them on a diagonal into slices about a third of an inch (8 mm) thick, and arrange them on your guest's plates, spooning the warm sauce over them. Serve at once; Alessio served them with spinach sformato, and it was a fine pairing.
Score the skins of the duck breasts in a diamond pattern. Put the breasts in a bowl and sprinkle a third of the orange juice and a third of the martini over them. Put the sprigs of rosemary between them, cover them, and marinate them for at least two hours in the refrigerator.
In the meantime, combine the sugar with a little water in a saucepot, add the julienned orange zest, and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes.
Roll the butter in the cornstarch, working it until it has absorbed the cornstarch.
In a second saucepot combine the remaining orange juice with the peppercorns, and juniper berries. Simmer until the mixture is reduced by 50%. Add the bay leaves and the Martini and simmer two minutes more. Next, remove and discard the bay leaves, and then add the ball of cornstarchy butter. Reduce the heat and cook gently until the sauce thickens, then drain and add the candied orange zest. Keep warm.
By now your duck breasts will have marinated and it's time to see to them too. Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C). Heat a skillet large enough for the duck breasts to lie flat over a moderate flame, and lay the duck breasts on it (discard the rosemary), skin-side down. Cook for a few minutes, keeping in mind that duck skin sears easily -- don't burn them! Once the skin side is browned, turn the breasts and brown the other sides as well, before transferring them to an oven dish and roasting them for 5-7 minutes -- you don't want them to be really rare, but they shouldn't be well done either.
When they are done slice them on a diagonal into slices about a third of an inch (8 mm) thick, and arrange them on your guest's plates, spooning the warm sauce over them. Serve at once; Alessio served them with spinach sformato, and it was a fine pairing.
