Orange-Glazed Roasted Duck Breasts

• 4 boneless duckling breasts
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup Cointreau or other orange-flavor liqueur
• ½ cup beef stock or broth
• 4 tablespoons orange marmalade
• Juice of 1 orange
• 1 orange, rinsed and thinly sliced, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rinse the duck and dry them with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, trim excess skin as needed and score the skin to form a diamond pattern, taking care not to pierce the meat. Season both sides well with salt and pepper.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Place the duck breasts, skin side down, in the skillet and cook 8 to 10 minutes until the skin is brown and crisp, draining excess fat as needed. Turn the meat over and cook 3 to 5 minutes more to sear it.

Transfer the meat to a roasting pan, reserving the skillet for the sauce, and roast the meat uncovered 20 minutes. While the meat roasts, drain the fat from the skillet and place the pan over medium heat. When it is hot, deglaze the pan with Cointreau and beef stock, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in orange marmalade and orange juice, and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Season the sauce with black pepper.

During the final 10 minutes of roasting, spoon the sauce over the duck and cook until the meat is tender and pink inside. Remove the meat from the oven, cover it with foil, and set it aside 10 minutes to rest. To serve, slice the meat at an angle and fan it out on dinner plates. Spoon any remaining juices next to the meat, garnish with a slice of orange, and serve.

Yield: 4 servings