CANETON A L'ORANGE (Mary and Rich)

Roast Duck with Orange Sauce
For 5 or 6 people

DUCK
Blanching the orange peel

4 brightly colored navel oranges

Remove the orange part of the skin in strips with a vegetable peeler. Cut into julienne (small strips 1/16 inch wide nd 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer for 15 minutes in a quart of water. Drain. Pat dry in paper towels.

ROASTING THE DUCK

A 5 1/2 lb. ready to cook duckling

1/2 tsp salt

Pinch of pepper

Season the duck cavity with salt and pepper, add a third of the prepared orange peel, and truss the duck. Roast it according to the master recipe.

THE SAUCE BASE

A 4-cup saucepan

2 Tb granulated sugar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 cups strong, brown duck stock (follow directions for brown chicken stock)

2 Tb arrowroot blended with 2 TB port of Madeira

The rest of the blanched orange peel

While the duck is roasting, make a sweet-and-sour caramel coloring as follows: Boil the sugar and vinegar over moderately high heat for several minutes until the mixture had turned into a mahogony-brown syrup. Immediately remove from heat and pour in 1/2 cup of duck stock. Then add the rest of the stock, beat in the arrowroot mixture, and stir in the orange peel. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes or until the sauce is clear, limped, and lighlty thickened. Correct seasoning, and set aside.

THE ORANGE SEGMENTS

The 4 oranges, skinned

Cur the 4 oranges into neat, skinless segments and place in a covered dish.

FINAL ASSEMBLY

When the duck is done, discard trussing strings, and set it on a platter. Place it in the turned off hot oven, leaving the door ajar.

1/2 cup ort of Madeira

Remove as much fat as you can from the roasting pan. Add the wine and boil it down rapidly, scraping up coagulated roasting juices and reducing the liquid to 2 or 3 tablespoons.

The prepared sauce base

2 or 3 Tb good orange liqueur

Drops of orange bitters or lemon juice

2 Tb softened butter

Strain the wine reduction into the sauce base and bring to the simmer. Stir in the orange liqueur by spoonfuls, tasting. The sauce shoudl have a pleasant orange flavor, but not too sweet. Add drops of orange bitter4s or lemon juice as a corrective.

Just before serving, and off heat, swirl in the butter enrichment, and pour the sauce into a warmed sauce boat.

Place a line of orange segments over the length of the duck and heap the rest of the two ends of the platter. Spoon a bit of sauce with peel over the duck, and serve.