Honey-Orange Duck

👨‍🍳 Method

1. 1
   Score the duck skin in a diamond pattern, without cutting into the meat.

   Knife

   💡Scoring the skin and searing it skin side down, without moving it, renders the layer of fat underneath: the skin turns crisp and the meat stays pink and juicy.
2. 2
   Sprinkle the salt and black pepper over the duck and set aside for 20 minutes.
3. 3
   Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).

   ⚙ Preheating the OvenOven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
4. 4
   Heat the olive oil in a heavy pan over medium heat' and place the duck breast skin side down'.

   ⚙ Pan-fryingStoveFrying pan

   💡What you brown (meat, patties, schnitzel) goes into hot oil: in lukewarm oil it soaks it up and comes out greasy. For onion and garlic that you soften, oil heated over medium or low heat is enough; do not wait for it to smoke.
5. 5
   Fry for 6 minutes, until most of the fat has rendered and the skin is browned and crisp, and pour off the excess fat.

   Stove
6. 6
   Flip and fry 3 more minutes. Move the pan to the oven for 8 minutes.

   StoveOvenFrying pan
7. 7
   Meanwhile, heat the honey, orange juice, grated zest, soy sauce, ginger and garlic in a small pan, until the sauce thickens.

   StoveFrying pan
8. 8
   Take the duck out of the oven and glaze it with the sauce.

   Pastry brush
9. 9
   Let the meat rest for 5 minutes and slice against the grain.

   KnifeCutting board

   💡Resting before slicing lets the juices settle back through the whole cut: meat sliced right away loses them to the cutting board.