Canard À L’orange Recipe

Prepare and crisp

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). If your duck confit legs are refrigerated, let them come closer to room temperature for 20–30 minutes. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat and add 1/4 cup of duck fat. Place duck legs skin-side down and slowly render 3–5 minutes until skin begins to brown and fat starts to crisp. Season lightly with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, distributed among the legs.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast 10–15 minutes until skin is deeply golden and meat is heated through. (Internal temperature around 165°F/74°C is sufficient since confit is pre-cooked; time is to crisp and warm.) Remove from oven and transfer duck to a warm plate. Reserve all pan juices and fat in the skillet for use in sauce reduction and plating.

If you prefer, instead of oven-roasting you can finish the legs in a 12-inch skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat, adding up to 1/2 cup duck fat as needed to encourage crisping, turning to crisp all sides. Keep warm while making the sauce.

In a medium saucepan, combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the sugar dissolves and the mixture slightly caramelizes (light amber color), about 3–4 minutes — watch closely to avoid burning.

Deglaze the saucepan with 1 cup dry white wine, stirring to lift any caramelized bits. Reduce by about half over medium heat, 5–7 minutes.

Add 1 cup fresh orange juice, 1 cup chicken or duck stock, and 2 tablespoons orange zest. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce the liquid by about one-third to concentrate flavors, 8–12 minutes.

Taste and season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. If you prefer a slightly thicker sauce, make a slurry by mixing 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tsp water and whisk into the simmering sauce; cook 1–2 minutes until thickened.

Remove the saucepan from heat and swirl in 4 tablespoons cold, cubed unsalted butter a few pieces at a time, whisking to emulsify and create a glossy finish. Adjust seasoning with salt/pepper and, if desired, a splash (1 tsp) of white wine vinegar for brightness.

If you reserved pan juices/fat from finishing the duck, skim excess fat (leave a tablespoon for flavor) and add 2–3 tablespoons of the defatted pan juices to the sauce, warming briefly to incorporate for a deeper duck flavor. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan or bowl to remove zest/solids for a smooth sauce if desired.

While the sauce simmers and the duck finishes, prepare the endive. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil until foaming.

Season halved endives with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Place cut-side down in the hot skillet and sear without moving for 3–4 minutes until the cut surface is nicely caramelized and golden-brown.

Turn the endives gently and cook another 2–3 minutes until just tender but still holding shape. If they need more time, lower heat and cover for 1–2 minutes. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Optional: toss 1 cup orange segments (supremes) with a teaspoon of sauce or a pinch of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon lemon or orange juice; reserve for plating.

To plate: place a halved endive on each plate, top with a duck leg or place the leg beside the endive. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of orange sauce over each duck leg and a little around the endive. Garnish with microgreens or chopped parsley and a few orange segments if using. Serve immediately.