Roasted Duck Breasts with Apricot-Orange Reduction

• 6 10-ounce duck breasts
• Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup sweet onion, peeled and minced
• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• ¾ cup Grand Marnier or other orange-flavor liquor
• ¾ cup beef stock or broth
• 1 tablespoon finely-grated orange zest
• Juice of one orange
• ½ cup apricot preserves
• 1 cup dried apricots, for garnish
• 1 orange, cut in half lengthwise and sliced, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rinse the duck, dry on paper towels, and trim excess skin to the shape of the meat. Score the skin with a sharp knife to create a diamond pattern, taking care not to pierce the meat. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. When it is hot, place the meat, skin side down, in the skillet and cook 4 to 5 minutes until the skin is brown and crisp, draining excess fat as needed. Turn it over and cook 4 minutes more to sear the meat. The meat may be prepared to this point, wrapped, and chilled several hours or overnight. Reserve the meat drippings in the pan, cover, and chill until shortly before making the sauce.

Transfer the meat to a roasting pan, drain the fat from the skillet, and set the skillet aside while the meat cooks in the oven. Roast the meat 25 to 30 minutes, or until it is pink inside (135-140 degrees F. for medium-rare) and juices are clear when the meat is pieced with a fork. Remove it from the oven and cover to keep it warm.

While the meat rests, preheat the skillet over medium heat. When it is hot, add the onion and sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Deglaze the pan with Cointreau and beef stock, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the orange zest, orange juice, and apricot preserves, stirring until the preserves dissolve. Bring the sauce to a boil, cook until the liquid has reduced by half, and the sauce has thickened. Season it with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the reserved apricot halves, stir gently, and heat just until the apricots are hot.

Transfer the duck to a cutting board and slice each portion at an angle. Fan the meat out onto the plates, spoon some of the sauce over the sliced meat, and garnish with apricots and orange slices.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings