Tongham Duck with Orange Sauce Recipe

Tongham Duck with Orange Reduction (makes a meal for two).

This is a great recipe and much easier than most traditional duck a l’orange recipes. You do not need an oven and you can do this with boneless duck breasts rather than a whole duck. Also no need for ingredients like marmalade which add to the cost.

Shopping List
2 Large Duck breasts off the bone but with skin on.
2 Juicy Oranges
About 250ml of fresh Chicken Stock

Store Cupboard Ingredients Required (check before you go shopping)
Dijon Mustard
Brown Sugar
Piment d’Espellette or Chilli Powder
Sea salt
Black Pepper

Step 1 – Starting the Sauce
First start the sauce by zesting or grating the skin (without pith) off of two oranges. Reserve this for later. Then halve the oranges and squeeze into a small saucepan. Add about 2 teaspoons of sugar and a heaped teaspoon of Dijon mustard.

Step 2 – Preparing the Duck Breasts
Take both the duck breasts, dry on kitchen paper and score the skin deeply in a diamond pattern. Then season them both with plenty of freshly ground pepper and a little salt.

Step 3 – Cooking the Sauce
Take the saucepan of orange juice and bring to a rolling boil. Continue boiling until it has reduced by about one half.  Then add about the same quantity of chicken stock to the reduced orange juice and again bring to the boil and reduce by about a half. At this point start cooking the duck.  Taste and season the sauce as required with the chilli, salt and pepper. Taste again and adjust seasoning until satisfied. Add the orange zest and keep the sauce warm while cooking the duck.

Step 4 – Cooking the Duck
Pre-heat a frying pan to a high temperature and then put the duck breasts in skin side down and cook without turning for up to 7 minutes dependig on the breast size. Then turn the heat off and cover the pan. Leave to continue cooking and resting for a further 10 minutes.

Step 5 (optional) – Finishing the Sauce
If not worried about presentation you can serve the sauce as it is but if you want something more professional pass through a sieve or blitz in a Thermomix or food processor for one minute.

Step 6 – Plating Up
Take the duck breasts and carve into thick slices at a slight angle. Arrange each duck breast onto a plate and pour the sauce over the top. Add any vegetables and serve. Enjoy!



Duck with orange sauce and mash served with a Sweet Bordeaux wine

 Serving Suggestion – This goes well with my potato, parsnip and little gem mash. Take a 50/50 mixture of potatoes and parsnips and cut into pieces suitable for boiling (not too small). Put into a saucepan and cover with water and then bring to a boil and continue cooking until ready for mashing. Mash well and then add a little gem lettuce (or part of it) which has been sliced. Mash the lettuce, causing some wilting, into the parsnips and potatoes and then add seasoning and stir.

Alternative – This sauce also works well with pork, or why not try with chicken.

Wine Pairing - This will pair very well with Sauternes or other sweet Bordeaux wines.