DUCK BREAST WITH MANDARIN ORANGE SAUCE

Ingredients

• 2 mandarin oranges
• 2 boneless duck breasts (about 1/2 lb/0.25 kg each)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper*
• 1/4 cup finely chopped shallot
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
• 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup fresh mandarin orange juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper*
• Diagonally sliced green onions*

Directions

1. Grate enough peel from 1 orange to make 1 tsp grated orange peel; reserve for sauce. Peel oranges, removing white pith. Section oranges; reserve for sauce.
2. Score skin on duck in a criss-cross fashion to make diamonds. Sprinkle duck with salt and pepper.
3. Cook duck, skin side down, in a medium nonstick frypan over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Turn duck and continue cooking until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 160°F, about 15 – 20 minutes. Transfer duck to a platter and cover with foil. Let stand while making sauce. The internal temperature will continue to rise several degrees during standing. The final temperature should be 165°F.
4. To prepare sauce, drain off all but 2 tbsp fat from frypan. Set frypan over medium heat. Add shallot and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Add ginger and sauté for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add Grand Marnier and vinegar; scrape to loosen browned bits. Stir in broth, orange juice and reserved orange peel. Return frypan to medium-high heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup. Remove from heat.
5. Strain sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Return strained sauce to frypan. Return frypan to medium heat and stir in orange segments; cook, stirring, until heated through. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Slice duck and sprinkle with green onions. Serve with sauce.