Duck l'Orange

Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towel. (I use a hairdryer on the skin side for dramatic effect.)

Score the skin of the breasts in diagonal slashes through to the flesh without cutting into the flesh.

Season the skin with salt and black pepper.

Take a solid, heavy frying pan. Lay the duck skin down in the cold pan. 

Put over very high heat to get it started, then turn the heat down to 50%.

Leave it alone for +/– 10 minutes. The fat under the skin will melt and the skin will get brown and crispy. You should have about a centimetre duck fat in the pan by now.

When the skin starts to brown around the edge, season the flesh side with salt and black pepper and turn the breasts over.

Cook the flesh side for 2 minutes; then turn the heat to full, cooking the duck for further 1 minute.

Remove the pan from the heat. Let the duck rest on a plate. Pour the fat off into a bottle for later use. (Do not throw the fat away; this is liquid gold)

Add orange slices to the pan and sprinkle the slices with brown sugar. Turn up the heat and wait for the orange slices to caramelize.

Add orange juice to the pan, reduce sauce until it looks good.

Serve breasts decked with caramelised orange slices and drizzled with sauce.