Orange Duck with Potato Gratin

Ingredients

• 1 duck (about 2 kg, ready to cook)
• Salt
• black pepper (ground freshly)
• 6 sprigs Thyme
• 400 ml poultry stock
• 2 tbsp honey
• 6 untreated oranges
• 1 tbsp red peppercorns
• 40 ml orange liqueur
• Salt
• 400 g sugar snap peas
• 1 Garlic clove
• 1.2 kg waxy potatoes
• Salt
• black pepper (ground freshly)
• 2 Eggs
• 600 ml Milk
• 50 g double cream
• 100 g grated Gruyère cheese
• butter (for the dish pan)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 200°C with fan and top heat.

2. 2.

   Wash the duck, pat dry, season inside and out with salt and pepper, add two thyme sprigs, place in a large roasting tin, roast in the preheated oven for about 1.5 hours, adding stock gradually as it cooks.

3. 3.

   Meanwhile zest two oranges, peel all six oranges (remove white pith), cut three orange segments into fillets, catch the juice, and squeeze the remaining oranges.

4. 4.

   For the gratin, rub a garlic clove around the baking dish then drizzle with butter. Wash, peel and thinly slice the potatoes. Layer in the dish, season with salt and pepper. Whisk together eggs, milk and double cream, pour over the potatoes so they are just covered. Sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake with the duck for about 30 minutes until golden.

5. 5.

   During the last half hour brush the duck with honey. Then transfer to a wire rack, let rest briefly in an turned-off oven. Skim off fat from the drippings. Reduce slightly, add orange juice, red peppercorns and thyme sprigs, then stir in orange liqueur and salt to taste (optionally thicken). Warm the orange fillets and zest in the sauce.

6. 6.

   Blanch the sugar snap peas in boiling salted water for 1–2 minutes, then drain.

7. 7.

   Carve the duck and serve with the sauce on warmed plates. Add the snap peas and garnish with remaining thyme sprigs.

8. 8.

   Serve the potato gratin alongside the duck.