Duck

Ingredientes

For the Duck Breast

•1 Pekin duck breast

•Canola oil

For the Honey-Orange Gastrique

Makes 240 grams

•50 grams honey

•150 grams orange juice

•150 grams roasted veal stock*

•10 to 15 grams lemon juice

•A couple of scrapes of orange zest

•5 to 10 grams butter (optional)

For the Braised Endive

•6 yellow Belgian endives (1 to 1 ½ inches in diameter)

•Kosher salt

•Canola oil

•720 to 960 grams orange juice

Instrucciones

Duck Breast

Method

For the Duck Breast

1. Rinse and pat the duck breast dry and set on a baking sheet or plate skin side up. Set uncovered in the refrigerator to allow the surface of the skin to dry for three days.

2. Begin by trimming the silver skin off the duck breast, taking care to not trim too close to the meat. Then prick the skin of the duck using a sausage pricker to allow the fat to render out. (You could also score the skin using a knife, but Chef Keller advises that this is more difficult. Take care not to pierce the flesh.)

3. Heat the sauté pan over medium heat and pour in a thin layer of canola oil. Lay the duck breast into the pan skin side down, starting with the end of the breast nearest to you and laying away from you to avoid splashing. Since pan-roasting is a more gentle, slower cooking process than sautéing, there will only be a subtle sizzle when the duck breast hits the oil. Give the pan a little shake to keep the skin from sticking. Continue cooking, pressing down on the duck with the palette knife anywhere that the skin needs more contact with the pan in order to crisp—but not moving the breasts around. When the duck breast is about 80% done, baste with the rendered fat. Cook until medium rare, or an internal temp of 123°F.

4. When the duck breast is 90% done, pour off excess fat from the pan, add the endive (cut-side down if not left whole), and flip the duck breast to “kiss” the meat side. Increase the heat slightly and cook the duck breast just long enough to color it. Transfer the duck breast to a rack or paper towel-lined tray skin side down to drain. Let rest at least 5 minutes.

5. To serve the duck as Chef Keller does, prepare the braised endive before cooking the duck and make a honey-orange gastrique using the recipes on the following pages. Slice the duck breasts and fan across the plate. Place the endive below the duck (if using) and spoon sauce around the duck and endive.

For the Honey-Orange Gastrique

1. Put orange juice and honey into a medium saucepan, bring to a simmer over medium heat, reduce until the orange juice and honey reach a syrupy consistency. As the bubbles increase in size, the gastrique becomes more viscous. Increase the heat slightly to speed up the cooking process, looking for large bubbles around the edges of the pot and light caramelization. Swirl the gastrique to check the changing consistency. Be careful not to let it caramelize or burn.

2. Slowly add the veal stock, swirl to mix, and return to simmer, cooking until the sauce is reduced to your desired flavor (by about one third). Add in orange zest, adjust with lemon juice or vinegar if you find that the gastrique needs more acid, and season with salt to taste. To finish the gastrique, remove from heat and stir in the cold-cubed butter, which will soften the flavors (if desired) and provide a velvety texture and mouth feel.

For the Braised Endive

1. If the endives are thicker than one and a half inches, remove enough outer leaves to reduce them to that size. Cut off the bottom of each endive so that it will stand upright. Cut out and remove the conical core from the root end of each, following the shape of the endive so that the walls of the endive will be about the same thickness and the endives will cook evenly. Pack the inside of each endive with kosher salt, sprinkle a little additional salt over the outside, and stand them up on a tray. Let them sit for 30 minutes, then rinse to remove the salt.

2. Heat ¼ inch of canola oil in a pot large enough to hold the endive in one layer. Add the endive and lightly brown on all sides. Add the orange juice to cover, then cover with a cartouche made from parchment paper (see Chapter 13: Red Wine Braised Short Ribs for instructions on how to make a cartouche). Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the endive is fully cooked. Set aside in the liquid until ready to caramelize before plating. If serving the braised endive with your pan-roasted duck breast, caramelize the endive in the pan with the rendered duck fat.

3. You can make the endive up to one week in advance; if you do so, refrigerate in the cooking liquid. Making the endive in advance will intensify the flavor as it marinates.Note: If you end up with leftover braised endive, use for a salad or as a side for another dish. It will last a week in the refrigerator stored in its juices.