Caneton A Lorange Recipes

CANARD à L'ORANGE

Steps:

• Heat the clarified butter in a large cast iron skillet or frying pan with a metal handle. The duck breasts will render a large amount of fat, but use of a small amount of butter will stop them from catching when you first place them in the pan. Butter lends a nice golden colour to the skin, and the use of clarified butter means that there are no milk solids to burn, which leave black spots all over the duck. Place the pan on a medium to high heat, and once up to temperature; hot but not smoking, place the duck breasts in skin down. Agitating the pan occasionally to ensure even colouration, cook for about 10 minutes until the skin is an even dark golden brown. Turn the breasts over and place the pan in a pre-heated oven at about 200ºC. Approximately 10 minutes will cook them a nice pink medium rare. This can be verified using a temperature probe which should be between 52ºC and 60ºC.
• Remove from the pan and leave to rest, covered with a double layer of foil and a thick cloth, to keep warm while you make the sauce.
• Peel the zest of the oranges into julienne strips and set aside, then squeeze the juice from the oranges. Skim the fat from the pan and deglaze with the vinegar then add the sugar. Bring to the boil and allow it to caramelise slightly. This will happen quite quickly due to the high temperature of the pan. Pour in the juice from the oranges, followed by the zest julienne. The sauce will begin to thicken. While this is happening pour in the Grand Marnier. Once the alcohol has boiled off, after a few seconds, whisk in the butter a cube at a time to finish the sauce to a thick glossy consistency.
• Season with salt. Slice each breast into 1cm pieces, arrange on the plate with a generous quantity of sauce on top.

CANETON A L'ORANGE

Steps:

• Make duck:
• Prepare ducks for roasting. Place in pan with carrots, onions, a little thyme, and a bay leaf. Roast at 325°F. for 50 minutes to one hour, so the meat still shows a little blood when pricked with a toothpick and skewer. Remove and keep hot. Place roasting pan on heat and cook for a few minutes. Skim off excess fat and rinse pan with white wine and consommé. Cook for 5 minutes. Stain mixture through a fine sieve. Melt 2 tablespoons sugar in a heavy pan over low heat and just as it begins to carmelize, add vinegar and fruit juices. Add strained pan juices. Bring to a boil. Skim off excess fat. Mix flour with a little water and blend with sauce; cook until thickened to a syrupy consistency. Correct seasoning. Add Kitchen Bouquet to give rich color. Carve meat of one duck and arrange slices overlapping on top of second duck. Garnish with sections of orange. Add liqueur, 1/4 cup sugar, and cognac to sauce and carefully pour sauce over and around duck. Garnish the platter with potatoes. Serve peas separately.
• Make potatoes:
• Cook potatoes in boiling, salted water until tender. Drain and peel. Put through food mill or ricer. Blend in 6 tablespoons butter, cream and one by one, egg yolks, beating well after each addition. Flavor with finely grated orange peel. Roll into long cork shapes, dip in flour, beaten egg, and fine bread crumbs and quickly deep fry in hot fat until golden brown.
• With this, drink a light Bordeaux.

ROAST DUCK WITH ORANGE SAUCE - CANARD A L' ORANGE JULIA CHILD

Steps:

• Start the stock for the sauce well in advance.
• Brown duck parts with carrot and onion in oil. (or brown carrot and onion with gleaned duck fat).
• Add bullion and water.
• Simmer with herbs and reduce to 2 cups.
• Skim fat, any scum, strain, and set aside, or refrigerate until needed.
• To begin the sauce, bring water to simmer while preparing orange peel.
• The peel is for both the roasting duck, and the sauce. This also, needs to be done in advance.
• Peel oranges, making sure that the strips are only the orange colored part, not the bitter white.
• Julienne into strips about 1/8" or less by 1 1/2 ".
• Simmer in water 6 minutes, drain, rinse in cold water, dry, and set aside.
• Peel orange segments, put in covered container, and set aside, or refrigerate.
• Prepare duck by trimming loose fat, making sure all feathers are gone, and remove wishbone from breast (optional).
• Prick skin to allow fat to escape, and to baste the duck during the cooking.
• Season cavity of ducks with salt and pepper, and place 1/3 of orange peel and 1/3 of orange segments inside.
• The small ducklings will take about 25 to 30 minutes to roast, so you might want to continue the sauce at this point and preheat the oven to 450°F.
• In a saucepan, blend sugar and vinegar over low heat to dissolve.
• Boil rapidly until mixture begins to caramelize.
• Lower heat to simmer, add half the duck stock, and stir until mixture is no longer caramelized.
• Remove from heat.
• Add remaining stock, blended cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of the port, remaining orange peel, and all but a few orange segments (saved for garnish).
• Simmer for 3-4 minutes, correct seasoning, and keep warm. Sauce should be clear and slightly thickened.
• Place ducklings on rack in small roasting pan, breast side up and place in oven.
• Roast 5 minutes, reduce heat to 350°F, and turn on side, and place back in oven.
• Continue to roast and turn, until duck is breast up. Roast 25 to 30 minutes total.
• When ducklings are done (juice will be rosy clear) place on warmed individual platters and keep warm.
• Finish sauce by removing fat from roasting pan and deglaze with port.
• Add to sauce.
• Bring sauce to simmer, add orange liqueur, and correct seasoning with lemon juice if sauce seems too sweet.
• Remove sauce from heat, swirl in butter and spoon some over ducks and put remainder in a warmed sauceboat.
• Garnish ducks with remaining orange segments, place rice and peas on platters and serve.