Duck with Kumquat Rum Sauce
Chef Daniel Orr
“This is a play on the old French canard à l’orange using my house-flavored kumquat rum,” says Chef Daniel Orr. “I like using some of the drunken kumquats from the bottle to add to the sauce and serve over the sliced duck. If you don’t want to go through the whole process of flavoring the rum, use some Grande Marnier and some sliced fresh kumquats.
4 servings
1 large duck (4 to 5 pounds)
1 T Kitchen d’Orr Sweet Season Spice Blend (see below) or Chinese five-spice
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 small onions, quartered
1 head garlic, cut in half (east to west)
4 branches each rosemary and thyme
2 medium oranges
2 medium lemons
Boiling water, as needed
1/4 c sugar
1/3 c white wine vinegar
3 c brown chicken stock
2 tsp cornstarch
1 T bitter orange marmalade
1/2 c dry white wine
1/2 c homemade kumquat rum—or your favorite orange liqueur
Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Liberally season duck inside cavity with salt, black pepper, and spices. Stuff it with the onions, garlic, and fresh herbs.
2) Place breast-side up on a rack in a pan and prick thighs and breast with a fork to allow fat to escape. Place the duck in the oven and pour 1 1/2 cups of water into the pan with it. Roast until juice runs clear when the thigh is pricked, about 1 1/2 hours or until thermometer registers 145-150°F at the thickest part of the thigh. If the roasting duck begins to darken, cover lightly with foil and return to the oven. When cooked, remove and allow to rest lightly covered in a warm place for at least 8-10 minutes.
3) While the duck is cooking, remove zest from the oranges and lemons and cut into fine julienne. Squeeze juice from the oranges and lemons and set aside. Blanch the zest in boiling water and cover for 3 minutes; drain and set aside.
4) In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over moderate heat, melt sugar and cook until it begins to brown lightly. Add vinegar, orange and lemon juices, and stock and reduce over medium heat to a light sauce consistency.
5) In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with a little water and stir into stock mixture. Simmer briefly until slightly thickened. Stir in marmalade and keep sauce warm.
6) While the duck is resting, spoon off fat from pan juices that have collected in the roasting pan. Place the pan on the stove over high heat. Once it is hot quickly remove it from the flame and deglaze the roasting pan with wine and kumquat rum. Return to the fire and flambé, all the while scraping up the brown bits. Add the sauce to the pan and return to a boil. Strain. Add reserved zest and kumquats from the rum bottle (or freshly sliced kumquats) and simmer until slightly thickened.
7) Carve duck, place on a warm serving platter, and pour sauce over pieces.
Kitchen d’Orr Sweet Season Spice Blend
Also available at FARMbloomington.
1 tsp ginger powder
1 stick cinnamon (1/2 inch wide)
1/2 tsp annatto seeds
1/2 tsp pomegranate powder
2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 pieces star anise
2 pieces cloves
1 piece mace
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
2 bay leaves
1) Grind all ingredients until fine in a spice blender.
2) Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
