Duck Breast a l'Orange (AIP-Friendly)

I love a nicely prepared duck dish. I was first introduced to duck when I worked as a server at a fine dining establishment in Tacoma, Washington. As part of the job, I was required to taste everything on the ever-evolving seasonal menus. Tough job, I know. This exposure to gourmet food forever changed the way I thought about the ritual of cooking and eating, and it allowed me to experience many foods that I had never before tried. The first time I had duck was when I was working in this job. The dish was a beautifully prepared thinly-sliced, medium-rare duck breast served in a cherry reduction with duck leg confit, truffled polenta, and autumn vegetables. It was to die for.

I'm sorry that this recipe isn't for that dish, but it is a great AIP-friendly recipe for duck that you can make in your own kitchen. I recommend serving this with pan-roasted parsnips and seasonal vegetables, as pictured above. Although the recipe only calls for two duck breasts, I found that it serves four.

Adapted from Lucinda Scala Quinn's Duck Breast a l'Orange

Ingredients
1/4 c coconut sugar
2 T sherry vinegar
2 tsp orange zest
1 c fresh orange juice
1 orange, supremed
3/4 c chicken broth
1 shallot, minced
2 boneless Muscovy duck breast halves (8-10 oz each)
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper (omit for AIP)

Directions

1. Place coconut sugar in a medium sauce pan or saucier over medium-high heat. Gently nudge the sugar toward the center of the pan with a fork as it melts. Continue this process until the coconut sugar is completely liquefied.
2. Take the melted sugar off of the heat and gradually stir in the vinegar, orange zest, orange juice, chicken broth, and shallot. Return the pot to medium-high heat and boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has reduced to about 2/3 cup. Remove from heat and reserve.
3. Score the fatty side of the duck breasts with the tip of a sharp knife diagonally to make 1-inch diamonds. Season both sides of the breasts with salt and pepper (if using). Place breasts fat side down in a cool medium sized pan. Turn the heat up to medium-high. Cook undisturbed until the skin is crisp and golden brown (about 10-15 minutes). Flip and continue to cook to desired doneness. Note: unlike other kinds of poultry, duck does not need to be well done. You can treat it more like steak; the recommended doneness is medium rare - 125 degrees. Allow meat to rest 10 minutes.
4. While meat rests, stir the supremed orange segments into the orange sauce. 
5. Thinly slice the duck breasts on the bias and pour the sauce on top. Enjoy!