Chinese Orange Chicken Meets French Duck à l'Orange. Instant Classic.
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Today brothers Max and Eli Sussman have popped up on Food Republic to coincide with the release of their third cookbook, Classic Recipes for Modern People. Here is a mashup of two classics they think work pretty darn well.
We decided this classic dish needed a massive overhaul. During our research, we unearthed classified documents indicating that another classic dish included orange and poultry as well, and that's the Chinese orange chicken available at pretty much every Chinese restaurant on the planet. So in the spirit of the 1990s, turn up the 'N Sync because here's some fusion cuisine. The end result is a perfectly cooked and sliced duck breast with our version of a soy-orange glaze. Orange chicken + duck à l'orange = a new classic! Zang!
Reprinted with permission from Classic Recipes for Modern People
- 2 oranges
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- 2 large boneless duck breasts
- 1 shallot
- 1 small jalapeño chile
- 2 green onions (white and tender green parts only)
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- steamed rice
- Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the oranges and put it in a bowl. Juice the oranges and add the juice to the bowl along with the brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and white pepper. Transfer half of the mixture to a small bowl to use for the sauce; cover and refrigerate.
- Combine the remaining mixture with the duck breasts in a zippered plastic bag or airtight container. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Remove the duck breasts from the marinade and pat dry. Discard the marinade. Using a paring knife, score the skin by making 1/4-inch-deep slices, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart. Be careful to cut only into the skin, and not to cut into the meat.
- In an ovenproof sauté pan large enough to fit both of the duck breasts, place the breasts skin-side down. Place the pan over low heat and cook the duck, allowing the fat to melt very slowly, for about 15 minutes, pouring off the fat as it accumulates in the pan. (You can reserve the fat for another use, such as cooking potatoes.)
- Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 10 minutes, then check for doneness; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a breast should register 135°F. If it does not, continue cooking until done. Transfer the duck to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and let rest.
- Pour off any remaining excess fat from the pan and place the pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the shallot, jalapeño, and green onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and softened, about 3 minutes. Add the reserved orange mixture, the stock, and the cornstarch mixture and bring to a simmer, stirring until lightly thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat, strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, and cover to keep warm.
- To serve, thinly slice the duck breasts against the grain and arrange on a platter. Pour the warm sauce over the top. Serve with steamed rice.
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