Duck breast with Blood Oranges
Pato con naranjas sanguinas
This is a special occasion dish. The blood oranges are a twist on the traditional Canard a l’Orange.
Serves 6
6 duck breasts – boned with the skin intact
2 blood oranges – zest removed and with pith cut away
2 ounces / 100 gr duck liver
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon vinegar
¼ cup / 60 ml sherry
Juice of one blood orange
½ cup / 125 ml chicken stock
Preheat the oven to 400 F / 200 C.
Wash and dry the duck breasts.
Dice the duck liver coarsely.
Mix the honey and the vinegar in a small bowl.
Use a fine grater to remove the zest from the blood oranges. Then use a bread knife to remove all the peel including the pith. Cut each section of flesh out from the orange sections so you are left with blood orange flesh only.
Brown the duck breasts on each side in the olive oil which has been heated to the point of shimmering. Deglaze the frying pan with the sherry. Add the duck liver, blood orange sections and juice, chicken stock as well as the orange zest. Simmer until the sauce has been reduced to half.
Paint the duck skin with the honey and vinegar glaze. Bake the duck breasts for 10 minutes in the oven.
Crispen the duck skin by searing it under the broiler for 2 minutes.
Serve the duck breasts on a “puddle” of the sauce.