A Parisian's Guide to Cooking and Entertaining at Home

Step 1

Begin heating a skillet. Using a sharp knife, make several incisions in the skin of each breast in a criss-cross pattern (be careful not to cut into the flesh).

Step 2

When the skillet is nice and hot, sear the duck breasts skin side down. Cook for about 15 minutes, spooning off the fat as it melts. Turn the duck breasts over and cook briefly, about 3 minutes. Remove from the skillet and allow them to rest under aluminum foil for 10 minutes.

Step 3

Cut each breast widthwise into 6 slices.

Step 4

The skillet should still be hot: pour in the honey and then the orange juice and zest, and return to low heat. Stir until the ingredients come together smoothly to form a sauce.

Step 5

Place the duck slices on a serving platter and pour the sauce over them.

Step 6

Serve the duck breast slices hot with the caramelized sauce, accompanied by the caramelized turnips.

Step 7

Peel and trim the turnips, leaving about ½ inch (1 cm) of the green stems. Halve any large turnips. Place them in a pot and half-cover with water. Cook over a medium heat until the water has evaporated and the turnips are tender but not too soft, usually about 15 minutes.

Step 8

Reduce the heat and melt the butter in the pot to coat them. Stir in the honey, season with salt and pepper, and allow the turnips to caramelize gently before serving.

Step 9

Note: Turnips may be prepared ahead of time, saving the final step of the honey glaze until just before serving with the duck.Instead of a classic dessert, I like to surprise my guests with a selection of cheeses served with dried fruit, candied quince paste, and fruit jams.