DUCK a L'Orange French recipe flavoured by  Vietnam
Serve 4-6

4 legs with pilon
2 tablespoons Olive oil
4 red  shallots, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 lemongrass stems, white part only, bruised
2 spring onions chopped
2 star anise
2 cinnamons sticks
1¼ teaspoon five-spices 
juice of 5 oranges
grated zest of 1 orange
3 tablespoons shaoxing rice wine
4 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
500ml young coconut water approx.


Chop the duck into quarters and keep the legs with the pilon.
or don't do anything if you have only bought  the legs.
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat then add the oil and sear the duck, skin side down first, for 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Remove the duck from the pan and set aside. Drain the fat from the pan, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan.

Retun the duck to the pan again over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, star anise, cinnamon and five-spice and cook for 3 minutes or until fragrant. Add the orange juice, orange zest, spring onions,rice wine, fish sauce,  pepper add enough coconut water to cover the duck. Bring to the boil then reduce to a low simmer.
Cover the pan and cook for 2 hours, or until the duck is tender.
Transfer the duck to a serving platter.
Bring the liquid in the pan to the boil and cook for 10mm to reduce the sauce. Pour the sauce over the duck and garnish with the star anise and cinnamon sticks. Serve with baguettes and rice.

Can be cooked a day before or re-heated the day after... 

Duck recipe inspired by Luke Nguyen from his fantastic book " Indochine" 2011 - Murdoch Books Pty.L

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