Canard À L’orange Recipe

Curing the duck

Pat duck legs dry. Rub each leg all over with kosher salt, fresh thyme sprigs (tuck some under the skin), smashed garlic cloves, and freshly ground black pepper. Place legs in a single layer in a shallow dish, cover, and refrigerate for 12–24 hours to cure.

Rinse and dry

After curing, remove duck legs from the refrigerator. Rinse off the excess salt and aromatics under cold water. Pat legs very dry with paper towels. Allow them to come to near room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.

Confit

Preheat oven to 120°C (250°F). Place duck legs in an ovenproof roasting pan or deep baking dish in a single layer. Melt the duck fat gently in a saucepan until liquid. Pour enough warm duck fat over the legs to completely cover them. Cover the dish tightly with foil. Transfer to the oven and cook gently for 2½–3 hours, until meat is tender and pulling away from the bone.

Cooling and storing

Remove the dish from the oven and let it cool slightly. You can keep the legs submerged in the fat until ready to finish (they will keep refrigerated for up to 1 month) or remove them and reserve the fat for another use. For service, proceed to crisping step.

Crisping the skin

When ready to serve, preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Remove legs from fat, wipe off excess fat, and place skin-side up on a rack set over a sheet pan. Brush lightly with a little melted reserved duck fat or olive oil. Roast for 12–18 minutes until skin is crisp and deeply golden. Alternatively, sear skin-side down in a hot skillet for 3–5 minutes and finish in the oven for a few minutes.

Caramelize sugar and deglaze

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, sprinkle the granulated sugar into the pan and let it melt undisturbed until it begins to caramelize to an amber color. Do not stir aggressively; you can gently swirl the pan. When sugar is deep amber, add the white wine vinegar carefully (it will steam and splatter) to deglaze and dissolve the caramel into a syrup.

Add liquids and reduce

Add the fresh orange juice, chicken or duck stock, and orange zest to the caramel-vinegar syrup. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce by about one-third until the sauce is glossy and slightly thickened (about 10–12 minutes).

Finish the sauce

Lower the heat and whisk in the cold cubed butter, a few pieces at a time, to emulsify and give the sauce a silky texture. Stir in the Grand Marnier (if using). Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keep warm until plating. If sauce becomes too thick, whisk in a little stock or water to loosen.

Prepare cabbage and aromatics

Halve and core the hispi cabbage. Thinly slice the shallot, carrot, and apple. Pat cabbage halves dry.

Sweat shallot and soften carrot/apple

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm the butter and olive oil together until foaming. Add the chopped shallot and cook 2–3 minutes until translucent. Add the sliced carrot and apple and cook for 3–4 minutes until they begin to soften.

Sear cabbage

Place the cabbage halves cut-side down in the pan, pressing gently so they contact the surface. Sear without moving 4–6 minutes until the cut surface is golden-brown. Flip and sear the top briefly 1–2 minutes.

Deglaze and finish

Add the apple cider vinegar and caster sugar to the pan and let it bubble, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to low, cover loosely, and steam for 6–8 minutes until cabbage is tender-crisp. Season with salt and black pepper. Keep warm.

Rewarm sauce if needed. Place a seared duck leg on each plate beside a halved or quartered hispi cabbage portion. Spoon warm orange sauce over the duck and a little around the plate. Scatter orange segments over the cabbage and around the duck. Sprinkle microgreens or chopped parsley and a pinch of sea salt flakes over the duck skin to finish.

Serve immediately while the duck skin is crisp and the sauce is warm.