Crisp skin with a mellow citrus glaze
Crisp-skinned duck meets a glossy orange sauce with the gently bitter, lingering citrus aroma of dried tangerine peel. Green beans keep this two-person supper fresh and balanced.
Allow for softening and infusing the peel, rendering the duck skin, oven cooking and resting. Make the sauce and vegetables while the duck is in the oven.
Recipe illustrations; measure ingredients using the written quantities.
Choose one peel and weigh 2 g. Rinse, soak in warm water for about 10 minutes until pliable, then discard the soaking water. Cut large peel into 2–3 pieces; put shreds in a fine-mesh infuser. Gently simmer orange juice, 80 ml water, garlic and peel for 10–15 minutes; thicker pieces may need another 5 minutes. Strain when the citrus aroma is pleasant, before it becomes bitter. Reserve the liquid.
Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Pat the duck dry and lightly score the skin and fat without cutting the flesh. Season with about 1.5 g salt and the pepper. Place skin-side down in a cold ovenproof frying pan. Cook over medium-low heat for about 8–12 minutes until golden and the fat has rendered, pouring excess fat into a heatproof container as needed. Turn and sear for 1–2 minutes. Clean hands and tools after raw meat.
Roast skin-side up for roughly 12–20 minutes as an initial checking range. Insert a clean probe into the thickest part: it must reach 75°C for 30 seconds. If needed, roast in further 3–5 minute intervals and check again. Thickness and starting temperature affect timing. Rest on a clean plate for 5–10 minutes. Without a probe, ensure the centre is steaming hot, fully cooked with no pink flesh or bloody juices. This version is cooked through.
While the duck roasts, boil the green beans for about 5–7 minutes until cooked. Drain and toss with 5 ml oil and the remaining salt. Add honey to the strained citrus liquid and simmer for about 5–8 minutes until lightly coating a spoon, not syrupy; loosen with a little water if necessary. Slice the rested duck and spoon sauce beside the meat, keeping most of the skin dry. Serve with the beans.
No UK-listed 14 allergens in the ingredients specified; check labels if substituting. The Xianyitang dried-ingredient packs state that they are packed in a facility also handling peanuts, tree nuts, sesame and soya. Check the actual labels of every brand used.
Best freshly made. Cool duck and sauce promptly in separate shallow containers and refrigerate at 5°C or below within 2 hours. Eat within 48 hours or freeze. Reheat only once until steaming hot throughout; the skin may lose some crispness. Keep raw duck refrigerated within its use-by date and separate from cooked food.
