Illustrative image
The finished dish may look different depending on the ingredients and preparation.
MediumMain coursesmeatCC0 1.0 Universal
Classic French Canard à l'Orange (Crispy Seared Duck Breast in Sauce Bigarade)
The height of classic French culinary balance: succulent scored duck breasts seared to crisp perfection, bathed in a bittersweet sauce bigarade crafted from caramelized sugar, vinegar gastrique, and orange zest.
Prep
20 min
Cook
25 min
Total
45 min
Oven
190°C (170°C vent.)
Ingredients
servings
4
- Plump duck breasts (magret de canard)2 pc
- Organic oranges (fresh juice and blanched julienned zest)3 pc
- Granulated sugar for gastrique40 g
- Red wine vinegar40 ml
- Rich brown duck or beef demi-glace stock250 ml
- Grand Marnier orange liqueur30 ml
- Cold cubed butter for mounting sauce30 g
- Fine sea salt1 tsp
- Freshly cracked black pepper½ tsp
Preparation Steps
1
Score duck skin in diamond patterns; season with salt and pepper. Place skin-side down in cold skillet over medium-low heat; render fat for 10-12 mins until crisp. Flip 3 mins, finish in 190°C oven for 5-6 mins for medium-rare, and rest 8 mins.
18 min timer
2
Caramelize sugar until amber; deglaze with vinegar to make gastrique. Stir in orange juice, Grand Marnier, and duck stock; reduce by half for 10 mins until rich.
10 min timer
3
Off heat, fold in blanched orange zest and whisk in cold butter cubes to mount. Carve duck breast into diagonal slices and spoon glossy bigarade sauce over.
3 min timer
Cooking Journal
You haven’t tried this recipe yet
Nutrition Facts
per servingCalories
490
Protein
36g
Carbohydrates
18g
Fat
29g
Allergens
Milk
*estimated values per serving
Provenance & Public Domain Audit
Source: French Culinary Heritage / USDA Public Domain Collection (United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) & Classic French Culinary Archive)
Legal status: Public Domain (17 U.S.C. § 105) • 17 U.S.C. § 105
License: Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal
