Tag Archives: Cookware and bakeware

Duck Breast with Orange Sauce (Canard à l’orange)

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Canard à l’orange is a classic French dish that most people would know about even if they have never tried it.  There are countless versions of this recipe and why there should be another one could be considered pointless. But this version is one that can be cooked and served in half an hour and promises to be full of citrus flavour.

Like other red meat, you can cook duck breast anywhere between rare to well done. I like mine rare, but the cooking times I have written here will give you a medium rare to medium result. You can add or deduct time to suit your taste.

I highly recommend scoring the skin to allow the rich fat to render away in the cooking which will give you a crispy skin. For this reason alone, never season the breast with oil or add it to the recipe. I also turn the breasts each time so that the skin is facing upward at the end of the cooking and so that the juices keep making their way into the centre of the meat rather than out into the pan.

2 duck breasts with skin on
1 orange, juice and zest
100ml chicken stock
100ml white wine
50g butter
Sea salt and pepper

Pre heat the oven to 200°C.

Gently score each breast across the width on the skin side, about 1cm apart.  Place an ovenproof pan on a high heat for a few minutes. Place each duck breast skin side down and sear in the pan for about 3-4 minutes until the skin is brown and crispy.

Turn the breasts over and continue cooking for a further minute. Turn the breasts again so the skin is facing downward. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 4 minutes. Turn the breasts over again so that the skin side is facing upward, and continue to cook for another 4 minutes. Remove the duck from the oven and pan. Wrap them in aluminum foil and place in a warm spot to rest before serving.

If there is too much fat remaining in the pan, remove some and then place the pan on a medium heat and deglaze with the white wine. Add the chicken stock and orange juice and allow it to come to a boil. When the sauce has reduced to about a third (approximately 4 minutes) add the butter and stir to ensure a smooth consistency. Season with sea salt and pepper. Taste the sauce to ensure it is balanced, seasoning further if required.

Place the each breast on the serving plate and spoon the sauce across each one.

In this recipe, the duck has been served with pumpkin and polenta mash and blanched sugar snap peas. To make the pumpkin and polenta mash: boil 250g pumpkin until it is soft, then mash and set aside. In a clean saucepan, bring 500ml of water to the boil. Slowly poor a thin stream of 150g polenta into the water, whisking continuously. Don’t add the polenta all at once or it will become lumpy. Continue to whisk over a medium heat until the grains have softened and it reaches a smooth consistency (approximately 10 minutes). When the polenta is ready, add about 25g of butter, a teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves and the mashed pumpkin. Continue to whisk unit it is smooth and well combined. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Brussels Sprout and Chilli Linguine

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Arguably, the most hated food would have to be brussels sprouts. I think most people who hate the little green cabbages will have tried them as a child and have never let go of the memory. I would even go as far as suggesting that most people can recall when they took their first mouthful. I remember my mum tricking me into thinking it was a tiny cabbage, and because I liked cabbage, it seemed logical that I would like these little varieties. It turned out that I did not, and in the process, I had lost a small part of the trust in anything my mum had to say about what food I would like!

Many people probably hate sprouts because they have a bitter component that children naturally find unpleasant but that we slowly adapt to as adults. But I wonder if the reason they are hated is because we have all been exposed to the dreaded boiled version, and even I still hate them boiled. It seems water brings out the worst possible flavours and rinses the delicious ones away. Yes, there are delicious flavours in brussels sprouts. You just have to know how to tease them out. I think caramelising is the best way of bring out the best in sprouts. Of course adding other ingredients helps as well.

I think brussels sprouts should be given another chance. They are the much maligned vegetable that we often over look and I think they should be brought back to the table.

250g fresh or dried linguine
200g brussels sprouts
1/2 brown onion, chopped finely
1-2 tsp dried chilli flakes
50ml white wine
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper

Bring a small pot of salted water to the boil for the brussels sprouts. Cut the base stem from each sprout and cut them in half or quarters, depending on their size. Plunge them into the boiling water and let them simmer away for a few minutes until their colour is vibrant green. Remove and drain them for a few minutes to remove any water.

Bring another large pot of salted water to the boil and drop the linguine in, keeping the water rolling along.

In a large saucepan sauté the onion in the olive oil. When the onion is translucent, add the brussels sprouts. Sauté the sprouts and onion until they are evenly caramelised. Add the chilli flakes and the white wine.

Drain the linguine but keep a good splash of the remaining cooking water and add it to the pan with the sprouts. Add the linguine and toss all the ingredients together. Season well with salt and pepper.

Transfer the linguine to a serving plate. Garnish with fresh parsley and finely sliced chilli.