Stir with a fork until syrup comes to a boil, then simmer without stirring until syrup is honey-colored, roughly 6 minutes, shaking and swirling as needed to ensure even caramelization. Leaving the duck whole is less work, and still produces great results, though. If it doesn't, it may be too thin (a sign your stock didn't have enough gelatin in it originally). Drain and set blanched zest aside. Garnish the duck platter with the reserved orange sections and scatter the blanched zest over the ducks. The dish first rose to fame in the 1960s when French cuisine became hugely popular in America thanks in part to this famous recipe. Duck a l'orange is possibly one of the most copied French recipes of all time. Copyright © 2011 by Jacques Pépin. Cut the butter into small pieces and add them to the pan with 1 tablespoon of orange zest. When ready to roast the duck and make the sauce, preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and set rack in middle position. Add gastrique 1 teaspoon at a time until sauce tastes nicely sharp with a clear sweet-sour character. Add a rating: Comments can take a minute to appear—please be patient! Meanwhile, remove the zest in strips from 1 of the oranges. He spent nearly a year working on organic farms in Europe, where he harvested almonds and Padron peppers in Spain, shepherded a flock of more than 200 sheep in Italy, and made charcuterie in France. Season duck all over, inside and out, with kosher salt. Insert a wooden spoon into the cavities and tilt the ducks, letting the juices run into the pan. Roasting the duck trimmings with aromatic vegetables and infusing that into the stock makes an even more flavorful and rich sauce. In a medium saucepan, boil the sugar and vinegar over moderately high heat until the syrup is a pale caramel color, 4 minutes. Much of it is rendered in cooking and can be used in a host of other recipes, including classic pommes sauté. Add the hearts, gizzards, wing joints and necks and season with salt and pepper. Add the strained duck sauce and simmer over moderate heat to reduce slightly, 8 minutes. Transfer roasted duck trimmings and vegetables to the stock. Add stock to a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Divide half of the meat mixture between the 4 terrines, gently press to pack down. Usually, it feels soft, fine and flavors like a beef liver to a small extent. Set aside. You want to taste the gastrique but not have it clobber the sauce; too much can ruin the sauce (you may only need a 2 to 4 teaspoons to accomplish this). The sauce is now ready and can be cooled and stored until you're ready to prepare the duck breasts, or you can set it aside and proceed with cooking the breasts. (Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. Meanwhile, increase oven to 450°F (230°C). Remove, allowing boiling water to drain off before transferring duck, breast side up, to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Roasting the duck starting at high heat and then switching to lower heat yields browned and crispy skin and tender juicy meat (yep, even though it's well done). The sauce at this point should lightly coat the back of a spoon, and if you drag your finger through it, it should leave a clear path. Two 5 1/2- to 6-pound Pekin ducks, trimmed of excess fat—necks, gizzards and hearts reserved, 1 small leek, white and pale green parts only, coarsely chopped, 1 quart chicken stock or low-sodium broth. Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest recipes and tips! The recipe features seared duck breast glazed with a sweet orange sauce and has been a popular way to cook duck for decades since. [Video: The Serious Eats Team; Photographs: Vicky Wasik]. If you can't afford expensive goose liver foie gras, try this simple-but-elegant Set the ducks breast up on the rack as far apart as possible. Turn the oven temperature down to 350°. Set a rack in a very large roasting pan. Sear the duck breasts quickly on both sides, then cook the duck for about 9 to 11 minutes on each side. Refrigerate trimmed wing ends, neck, and spine (if using) until ready to make the sauce; reserve giblets and trimmed skin for another use, or discard. The result is complex, fragrant, and lip-smackingly delicious, with a fine-tuned sauce that cuts right through the rich fattiness of the duck. Cut off duck wingettes and wing tips at the joint, leaving the drumettes connected to the duck; remove neck and any giblets from the cavity. This sophisticated dish is an excellent addition to party menus and romantic dinners. Remove the breasts from the pan and place them on a warm plate. The ultimate homemade version of the classic green bean casserole, with fresh green beans, a rich mushroom sauce, and crispy fried shallots. Pour some boiling water onto the baking sheet and scrape up any browned bits, then add that liquid to the stock, as well. You will have leftover gastrique, which you can reserve for another use (it can be drizzled on grilled or roasted vegetables or used in another sauce). Line terrines with caul fat leaving a 2-inch overhang. Get these ingredients for curbside pickup or delivery! Stir in the flour and tomato paste, then gradually stir in the stock and wine. Peel the remaining oranges (including the one you stripped the zest from) with a knife, removing all of the bitter white pith. Season with salt and pepper. Add stock to a smaller saucepan and continue to gently simmer until reduced to about 1 cup (225ml); continue to occasionally skim off any scum. Place the duck on a hot plate, either whole or neatly sliced. Meanwhile, add navel orange and lemon juices (or bitter orange juice) to reduced stock and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and add vinegar in very small increments while carefully swirling the saucepan; the caramel will boil and bubble violently at first, so adding the vinegar in very small amounts at first will help prevent a boil-over. When ready to serve, return duck to oven just long enough to reheat and re-crisp the skin, 5 to 15 minutes, depending on how much it's cooled off. Orange matches well with duck, as the citrus cuts through any fattiness, yet it remains sweet, unlike lemon. Arrange 5 apricots down the center of each terrine, with the strips of duck and pistachios on both sides. Some comments may be held for manual review. By using The Spruce Eats, you accept our, How to Make French Cinnamon Honey Seared Duck, Crisp Roasted Duck With Orange, Ginger and Pomegranate Glaze. Gradually add the 1 cup of orange juice, then the currant jelly and bring to a boil. The advantage of spatchcocking the duck is that you gain the backbone for the sauce, and it cooks a little faster. The duck trimmings and aromatic vegetables can be roasted in advance, infused into the stock, and the stock can be strained and reduced down to 1 cup ahead of finishing the sauce; refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.