duck a l'orange

on the subject of bird recipes

(for chinese style - pierce the skin with small knife marks and cover with boiling water - letting the fat out. then hang to dry for a night

Duck à l’orange

Serves 4

1 duck, weighing between 1.5 and 2kg (dressed weight with giblets)
Salt and pepper
3 sprigs of thyme
1 onion, peeled and cut into quarters
1 orange, cut into 6 wedges

For the orange sauce:
a smear of duck fat (or butter)
4 rashers of streaky bacon, chopped
The duck neck bone, coarsely chopped
The duck gizzard, cleaned (ask your butcher) and coarsely chopped
The duck wing tips, chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1tbsp Cognac
2tbsp Grand Marnier
150ml Madeira
150ml well-flavoured chicken stock
Juice of 4 oranges
1tsp rindless marmalade
1 heaped tsp arrowroot, slaked with a little water
Juice of half a lemon
Zest of 2 oranges, cut into thin strips
Watercress