Šventinė antis su karamelizuotų citrusų padažu | Unilever Food Solutions

Festive duck with caramelized citrus sauce | Unilever Food Solutions

What is Christmas without a special dish on the festive table? One of the most popular accents on it is a duck. Kitchen professionals from Unilever Food Solutions offers you to prepare this special dish inspired by the classic French cuisine.

Renaldas Bujokas, Unilever Food Solutions The chief chef of the Baltic countries added Christmas accents to this dish: perfectly balanced flavors and aromas of cinnamon, star anise, and oranges. It will be easy to prepare, and the result will be impeccable: an indescribably delicious, perfect-looking duck with a crispy skin and a fragrant golden caramelized fruit sauce that perfectly complements the presentation.

You can see more about how to prepare the duck and the sauce from the live online lessons, and below we share the detailed recipe:

Ingredients for duck:

2 kg of duck
2 liters of water
70 g of salt
20 g of sugar
4 stars star anise
1 cinnamon stick
Peel of one orange
Smoking chips to add smoke flavor, e.g. Holm oak (optional)

Ingredients for Caramelized Citrus Sauce:

50 g of sugar
2 hours water
2 hours red wine vinegar
200 ml of freshly squeezed orange juice
2 stars star anise
100 ml of chicken broth
2 hours KNORR citrus essences

Production of duck:

Boil marinade from water, salt, sugar, allspice, star anise, cinnamon stick, orange peel. The duck is dipped in cool water. We recommend at least a day.

Before preparing to bake, remove the duck from the container with the marinade. Boil the marinade and scald the duck with it. Drain the duck or leave it at room temperature to dry the skin. This will ensure that the duck has that crispy, evenly colored skin that everyone loves.

Bake the duck at a temperature of 140-150 degrees, in indirect heat, until the desired internal temperature. In order for the meat to fall off the bones, the internal temperature should reach about 90 degrees. Use a meat thermometer to measure the temperature

It is recommended to roast the duck or put it on the stove stood, either placed in a foil container or placed under the grill to collect the fat. Duck is fatty, and the fat that has started to melt from the heat is highly valued by kitchen professionals. They give a unique taste to potatoes or various other vegetables and dishes. In addition, the dish will additionally protect not only the deflector, but also from the tongues of flame caused by grease falling on the embers.

To give the smell of smoke and an even more beautiful color to the duck - smoke it. Duck is a meat with a brighter taste, so the smell of smoke from various trees is suitable for it. For a softer, delicate feel, giving a golden color, you can choose lemon tree, orange tree, apples shavings Meanwhile, the usual Lithuanian wood for smoking - alder will already give a bright taste and a dark color. Universal and safe option - olive tree, Holm oak wood shavings.

Making the sauce:

While the duck is cooking, prepare the sauce: first heat the spices in the pot in which you will make the sauce.
Add sugar and add water. When the sugar melts, heat the pot over low heat. Swirl the pot lightly to mix. The sugar will soon begin to caramelize and acquire a golden color

As soon as the sugar starts to turn golden, add the orange juice. Do not be afraid that the sugar will stick to a piece. Continue to cook, stirring lightly.

Add the vinegar and chicken stock, and cook until the sauce is the right consistency. You'll find out with a spoon: dip it in the sauce and pull it out. Turn it upside down and run your finger across it. If the sauce holds, does not run back, it is suitable for presentation. Remove the pot from the heat.