The pan-seared duck leg with orange is a fragrant and refined dish. A particular type of meat, usually cooked on special occasions and lately somewhat overlooked due to various cultural, social, and economic factors. However, it is a simple and tasty recipe. The duck leg in this case is cooked in a pan with skin fat and a little butter, then deglazed with orange juice and flavored with its zest and fresh thyme.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter
Ingredients
- 14 oz duck (leg, cleaned)
- 2 blonde oranges (1/2 cup juice)
- 2 nuts clarified butter
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (scant)
- to taste thyme
- to taste fine salt
- to taste black pepper
Tools
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Citrus juicer
- Fork
- Strainer
- Small bowl
- Pan
- Lid
- Stovetop
Preparation
To prepare the pan-seared duck leg with orange…
Take the duck leg and remove any feather residues by passing it over a flame (those available in stores are usually quite clean).
Then heat the pan, preferably non-stick, lay the duck leg and brown it for about 5 minutes on each side.
After that, add the clarified butter, lower the heat and cook it for the remaining minutes, covering with a lid. Turn it occasionally on all sides to cook it evenly.
While the leg is cooking, wash an orange and grate the zest to garnish the dish, then cut it in half and squeeze out the juice (about 1/2 cup).
When the leg is almost cooked, remove the lid, deglaze with the orange juice filtered with a strainer, salt, pepper, add thyme and cornstarch to slightly thicken the juice.
Transfer the duck leg to a plate, dress it with thickened juice, add more thyme and previously grated orange zest, and garnish with orange slices. Serve the duck hot.
Wine Pairing
Franciacorta rosé
Notes
Be careful not to overcook the duck meat, as it will become tough. If in doubt, you can cut it before the end of cooking and finish it with the leg already sliced.
Variations
In the same way, you can cook duck breast.
