On a recent trip to Oga di Valdisotto, a charming village nestled in the Sondrio province of Italy, we had the pleasure of dining at Osteria Il Triciclo. This delightful restaurant, helmed by the talented Chef Omar Valcepina, offers a menu that celebrates local ingredients and traditional techniques with a touch of modern flair. One dish that stole the show was their Sous Vide Duck à l’Orange.
Sous Vide Perfection à la Osteria Il Triciclo
Chef Valcepina’s take on this classic French dish incorporates the sous vide method for unparalleled control over the cooking process. This results in incredibly tender and juicy duck breast, every time. Here, we’re sharing a rendition inspired by our Osteria Il Triciclo experience, complete with sous vide instructions.
Sous Vide Essentials:
For the sous vide stage, you’ll need:
- Duck breasts (cleaned, any feathers removed)
- Salt flavored with rosemary, sage, and thyme (homemade or store-bought)
- A sous vide precision cooker
- Vacuum sealer or zip-lock bags
Seasoning and Cooking:
- Lightly season your duck breasts with the flavored salt.
- Place each breast in a separate vacuum bag (or zip-lock bag using the water submersion technique).
- Set your sous vide cooker to 135°F (57°C) and cook for 4 hours 30 minutes.
The Grand Finale: Searing and Saucing
While the duck cooks sous vide, prepare for the final steps: searing and creating the decadent orange sauce.
- What you’ll need:
- A hot pan
- Flavored salt
- Cooking oil
- Fresh orange
- Water
- Cornstarch
Searing the Duck
- Heat a pan with a drizzle of oil over high heat. Add a pinch of flavored salt.
- Pat the duck breasts dry and sear the skinless side first for 10 seconds.
- Flip the duck, placing the skin side down. Add a weight (like a meat tenderizer) to press down on the skin and cook for 2 minutes, or until nicely browned.
Making the Orange Sauce
- Remove the duck from the pan and set aside. Lower the heat to low.
- Squeeze the juice from a fresh orange into the pan, scraping up any browned bits.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together a few drops of water and cornstarch to create a slurry.
- Slowly add the cornstarch slurry to the orange juice, whisking constantly, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
Plate Up and Enjoy!
- Slice the duck breast thinly and arrange on a plate.
- Spoon the warm orange sauce over the duck.
A Berrylicious Bonus:
Chef Valcepina shared that this recipe can also be adapted for a delightful berry sauce! Simply replace the orange juice with fresh or frozen berries (no thickener needed) and follow the same steps for the sauce.
A Special Thanks to Osteria Il Triciclo
We’d like to express our gratitude to Chef Omar Valcepina and his team at Osteria Il Triciclo for their warm hospitality and for sharing this recipe. Their Duck à l’Orange is a testament to the magic that happens when culinary tradition meets modern techniques. So, ditch the guesswork and embrace the precision of sous vide to recreate this restaurant-worthy dish in your own home!
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Osteria Il Triciclo’s Sous Vide Duck à l’Orange
Recipe by Jason Hill – CookingSessions.comEquipment
Ingredients
- 2 Duck breasts cleaned, any feathers removed
- Flavored salt with rosemary, sage, and thyme (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 orange
- Water as needed
- Corn starch
Instructions
- Lightly season your duck breasts with the flavored salt.
- Place each breast in a separate vacuum bag (or zip-lock bag using the water submersion technique).
- Set your sous vide cooker to 135°F (57°C) and cook for 4 hours 30 minutes.
Searing the Duck:
- Heat a pan with a drizzle of oil over high heat. Add a pinch of flavored salt.
- Pat the duck breasts dry and sear the skinless side first for 10 seconds.
- Flip the duck, placing the skin side down. Add a weight (like a meat tenderizer) to press down on the skin and cook for 2 minutes, or until nicely browned.
The Orange Sauce:
- Remove the duck from the pan and set aside. Lower the heat to low.
- Squeeze the juice from a fresh orange into the pan, scraping up any browned bits.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together a few drops of water and cornstarch to create a slurry.
- Slowly add the cornstarch slurry to the orange juice, whisking constantly, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Slice the duck breast thinly and arrange on a plate. Spoon the warm orange sauce over the duck.
