Duck A L'Orange

Ingredients

• 1.8kg Duck
• 4 Oranges
• 95g Light brown sugar
• 125ml Cider vinegar
• 80ml Grand Marnier or Cointreau
• 30g Butter

Instructions

1. Cut an orange in half and put it to one side.
2. Cut away any excess skin and fat from the neck and tail of the duck.
3. Cut through the skin along the breast bone, then using your shears cut through the breast bone.
4. Open up the duck and press down on the pelvis firmly to flatten it.
5. Pat the duck dry, then rub the skin thoroughly with the orange halves.
6. Place the duck on a rack in a roasting pan and using a carving fork, prick skin all over to allow the fat to render out.
7. Roast the duck in a preheated oven at 150c or 300f and roast for 45 minutes.
8. While the duck roasts, heat a pan over medium low heat and melt the sugar, tipping the pan or stirring the sugar to ensure even browning.
9. Pour in the vinegar, standing back from the pan, as it will spatter. The sudden temperature change will make the melted sugar turn to toffee.... this is normal.
10. Keep stirring, bring the solution to a boil, and boil for 3 to 4 minutes. By this stage the toffee will have mostly dissolved, then add the orange juice and grand marnier.
11. Bring this back to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.
12. After the initial 45 minutes of roasting, remove the duck from the oven and drain any fat from the pan.
13. Raise the temperature of the oven to 180c or 350f, spoon some of the orange sauce over the duck and return it to the oven for a further 45 minutes.
14. Remove the duck from the oven every 10 minutes and spoon a bit more of the sauce over the bird.
15. After 45 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and transfer the duck to a platter and cover it with foil.
16. Skim any excess fat from the pan then strain the juices through a sieve back into the frying pan, and add the orange zest and butter. Reheat this over medium heat until it just comes to a boil.
17. Cut the duck in half up the spine, transfer the halves to platters and spoon the orange sauce over the duck before serving.

Dipping Sauce

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice (from 1 to 2 oranges)
• 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Method

Cook sugar in a dry 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until sugar melts into a deep golden caramel. Add orange juice, vinegar, and salt (use caution; mixture will bubble and steam vigorously) and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramel is dissolved. Remove syrup from heat.