Super Fast Duck With Orange

Photo: alex carracher

Ingredients

1/2 duck breast

2 oranges

1 sprig of rosemary

3 tablespoons Cointreau

salt and pepper

1 pinch Szechuan pepper

Preparation

Marinate the duck breast with the juice and the grated rind of 1 orange and a pinch of salt and pepper. Leave to stand for a couple of hours.

Heat up a lightly oiled non-stick pan. Place in it the sprig of rosmary and the duck breast with the skin side down. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until the layer of fat under the skin has melted away. Turn and cook for just a couple of minutes on the other side.

Meanwhile, peel the other orange 'al vivo' (ie: cutting away the thin white peel as well) and cut it into slices about 1/2 inch thik.

Remove the duck breast from the pan and pour away the excess fat. Cut the breast widthwise into chuncky, 3-4cm thick slices. Return the meat to the pan, pour in the Cointreau and allow to evaporate whilst you turn the duck pieces around, cooking on all sides for a couple of minutes. Transfer to a serving d ish and keep warm. Add the orange slices and any remaining orange juice to the pan. Salt and pepper to taste and reduce the sauce to about half over medium-high heat.

Serve by placing the orange slices beside the meat and pouring the reduced sauce over it. Finish by sprinkling with a few Szechuan peppercorns.

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About

At dinner last night it was just the two of us. Definitely the case for a little fast something then. You know the kind: a quick and effortless dish of proved result.
We love duck breast and when I find it in the shops I always buy a few to keep in the freezer. This fast&easy version of mine of the classic Canard a l'orange (but not an old canard! LOL!) is one of my favourite ways to cook it.
One personal note: as far as I am concerned, overcooked duck breast belongs to culinary crimes. To ensure the right taste and texture the meat should retain a juicy and pink colour on the inside. Those who do not like rare meat would do better to eat something else!