Duck breast with orange and roast fennel

Ingredients

For 1 serving

• Duck breast130 g
• Fresh orange juice80 ml
• Orange zest2 g
• Fennel250 g
• Thymeto taste
• Bread40 g
• Extra virgin olive oil5 g
• Saltto taste
• Black pepperto taste

Contains: gluten,

In season: November – March

Method

1. Preheat a conventional oven to 200 °C. Trim the fennel, removing the base and tough outer layers, wash it and cut it into wedges about 1 cm thick; toss it on a baking tray with the oil, thyme, salt and black pepper and roast for 25 minutes, until tender and golden at the edges.
2. Meanwhile pat the duck breast dry and score the skin in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife, without cutting into the meat; season both sides with salt and pepper.
3. Lay it skin side down in a cold frying pan, with no oil, turn the heat to medium and cook for 8 minutes, until the skin is crisp and golden and has released plenty of fat; starting cold renders the fat without burning the skin.
4. Pour off the fat, turn the breast and cook for 3 minutes on the other side, until firm at the edges but still springy in the centre (pink). Move it to a board to rest.
5. In the same pan pour in the orange juice and grated orange zest, scraping the bottom, and reduce for 3 minutes over medium heat, until glossy and slightly syrupy; adjust the salt.
6. Slice the duck on the diagonal about 1 cm thick, spoon over the sauce and serve with the fennel and the bread.