Duck Breasts with Cilantro, Chicory, and Sweet-Sour Orange Sauce

Main Dishes | European cuisine

⏳ Time

1 hour

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

Chicory and the sauce can be prepared in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator for up to a day.

Ingredients

Chicory - 12 pieces
Sugar - 3 spoons
Salt - a pinch
Freshly squeezed orange juice - 13 fl oz
Red Wine Vinegar - 3 fl oz
Chicken Broth - 13 fl oz
Coriander essential oil - 5 teaspoons
Orange zest - ½ spoons
Butter - 1 tablespoon
Duck Breast - 4 pieces
Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
Honey - 2 spoons

Step by Step guide

Step 1

Place the heads of chicory in a single layer at the bottom of a wide pot or deep skillet. Sprinkle them with a generous pinch of salt and a tablespoon of sugar, then pour in three-quarters of a cup of fresh orange juice and the same amount of broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes. Then, carefully turn the chicory over, cover again, and cook for another 10 minutes until the chicory is tender. Using tongs, transfer the chicory to a plate, pour the liquid back into the pot, and keep it on the heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens and becomes syrupy. This will take about nine to ten minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and return the chicory to the pot.

Step 2

In a saucepan, combine vinegar, the remaining sugar, and a tablespoon of coriander seeds. Place it over heat and warm until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and boil for five minutes, until the syrup darkens at the edges and bubbles form in the center. Occasionally swirl the saucepan to prevent burning. Then, pour in the remaining orange juice and broth, and cook, stirring, for another twelve minutes, until about a cup of sauce remains in the saucepan. Strain it into another saucepan and heat for an additional three minutes to reduce the sauce by half.

Step 3

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a heavy skillet, heat it up, and place the duck breasts skin-side down. Sear the skin until it is crispy, which will take about five minutes. Using tongs, transfer the breasts to a work surface without flipping them, and brush the meat of each breast with half a tablespoon of honey. Lightly crush the remaining coriander seeds and sprinkle half of them over the duck. Pour off the oil from the skillet, heat it again, and place the breasts back in the pan skin-side up. Sprinkle the second half of the coriander on top.

Step 4

After lightly browning the breasts on the other side, place them on a baking sheet and put them in a preheated oven at 428°F for seven minutes. Remove from the oven, shake off the coriander from the duck, slice it, and arrange it on plates. Drizzle with sauce and place three endives next to each serving.