Quick duck à la orange

Ingredients

• 2 duck breasts
• Salt
• 6 thyme sprigs
• 1 star anise
• Baby potatoes, green beans, to serve (see Note)

Orange sauce

• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1 orange, juiced, zest thinly julienned
• 1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock
• 1 tsp powdered gelatine
• 25 g cold butter, diced
• ⅓ cup orange segments

Resting time: 5 minutes

Instructions

1. Season the duck breasts well on both sides with salt, then place skin-side down in a medium, cold, dry frying pan. Place a cooking weight on top of the duck breasts, then add the thyme and star anise to the pan. Place the pan over medium-low heat and gently cook for 15 minutes, until the fat has rendered from the skin and the duck is rare to medium-rare. Pour the excess duck fat off from the pan (see Note), then increase the heat to high. Sear the duck breasts on all sides, until golden. Remove the duck to a plate and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
2. To make the orange sauce, heat the sugar and 1 tbsp water in a medium frying pan, swirling to melt the sugar, until it caramelises to a light golden-brown. Stir through the vinegar and orange juice then mix well to combine. Add the chicken stock, gelatine and orange zest to the pan. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until thickened to the texture of maple syrup. Whisk in the butter and season to taste with salt. Stir through the orange segments until just warmed.
3. To serve, thickly slice the duck breasts and divide between plates with the potatoes and green beans. Spoon the orange sauce over the duck.

Note

• To serve, steam 500 g baby new (chat) potatoes until tender. Heat a little oil and 2 tbsp butter, or the reserved duck fat, in a frying pan over medium heat. Add potatoes to the pan and fry until golden, 10-15 minutes. Trim the tops from 200 g green beans and blanch quickly in boiling water.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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