A roast duck is a glorious gesture for a special occasion, but it's a bit messy and time consuming. Instead, cook several boneless duck breasts and serve them with an orange sauce that contrasts with the rich gamey meat. This recipe is a riff on the classic Duck a l'Orange, which involves brown sauce and caramelized sugar, both of which are tricky and time consuming. Cook four duck breasts for six people, since the individual breasts are too large for one serving. To make a quicker orange sauce, heat honey until it turns a beautiful dark color to give the sauce an edge. Add chicken stock, orange juice, and vinegar for a little extra tartness. A smidgen of beurre manie (butter and flour paste) whisked into the sauce adds body. Finally, caramelize slices of clementine on one side to make a pretty garnish. It's an impressive entree, and you'll hardly break a sweat.

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees.

2. Pat the breasts dry with paper towels. With a sharp knife, and without cutting into the meat, score the skin of each breast in a diagonal crosshatch pattern; cuts should be about 1/2-inch apart. Sprinkle both sides of the breasts generously with salt and pepper.

3. Set a large ovenproof skillet (such as cast iron) over medium heat, and heat it for about 3 minutes, or until it is hot. Place the breasts, skin sides down, in the pan. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the skin turns golden brown, rotating the breasts occasionally to ensure even browning. Exact time depends on how well the pan conducts heat. During browning, if an abundance of rendered fat accumulates in the pan, temporarily transfer the breasts to a plate, pour off the excess fat, and return them to the pan to finish browning. With tongs, turn the breasts in the pan and sear the other sides for 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned. Remove the skillet from the heat. Transfer the duck breasts to a plate. Spoon off the duck fat (strain it, refrigerate, and use to brown potatoes). Return the breasts to the skillet, skin side up.

4. Transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast the breasts for 2 to 4 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of a breast registers 135 degrees for medium-rare, 140 degrees for medium. Take care with the skillet handle; wrap it in an oven mitt so you don't burn yourself if you touch it. Transfer the breasts to a plate, cover loosely with foil, and set in a warm place.

5. In a small bowl, stir the butter and flour together until thoroughly blended and the mixture forms a paste; set aside.

6. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the honey to a simmer. Stir the honey for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it turns a deep shade of brown. Add the orange juice, chicken stock, and vinegar. Bring to a simmer again. Whisk in the butter and flour paste and simmer for 3 minutes more.

7. Spread the sugar on a plate and dip the clementine slices into it.

8. Set a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the clementine slices. Cook on one side for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sugar starts to caramelize around the edges and the slices brown. Remove from the skillet.

9. Slice the duck breasts on the diagonal and divide it among 6 plates. Spoon the sauce on top and garnish with clementine slices, browned sides up.

A roast duck is a glorious gesture for a special occasion, but it's a bit messy and time consuming. Instead, cook several boneless duck breasts and serve them with an orange sauce that contrasts with the rich gamey meat. This recipe is a riff on the classic Duck a l'Orange, which involves brown sauce and caramelized sugar, both of which are tricky and time consuming. Cook four duck breasts for six people, since the individual breasts are too large for one serving. To make a quicker orange sauce, heat honey until it turns a beautiful dark color to give the sauce an edge. Add chicken stock, orange juice, and vinegar for a little extra tartness. A smidgen of beurre manie (butter and flour paste) whisked into the sauce adds body. Finally, caramelize slices of clementine on one side to make a pretty garnish. It's an impressive entree, and you'll hardly break a sweat.

4 boneless duck breast halves, skin intact (10 to 11 ounces each) Salt and pepper, to taste2teaspoons butter, at room temperature2teaspoons flour¼cup honey½cup orange juice½cup chicken stock2tablespoons sherry vinegar¼cup sugar4 clementines, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees.

2. Pat the breasts dry with paper towels. With a sharp knife, and without cutting into the meat, score the skin of each breast in a diagonal crosshatch pattern; cuts should be about 1/2-inch apart. Sprinkle both sides of the breasts generously with salt and pepper.

3. Set a large ovenproof skillet (such as cast iron) over medium heat, and heat it for about 3 minutes, or until it is hot. Place the breasts, skin sides down, in the pan. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the skin turns golden brown, rotating the breasts occasionally to ensure even browning. Exact time depends on how well the pan conducts heat. During browning, if an abundance of rendered fat accumulates in the pan, temporarily transfer the breasts to a plate, pour off the excess fat, and return them to the pan to finish browning. With tongs, turn the breasts in the pan and sear the other sides for 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned. Remove the skillet from the heat. Transfer the duck breasts to a plate. Spoon off the duck fat (strain it, refrigerate, and use to brown potatoes). Return the breasts to the skillet, skin side up.

4. Transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast the breasts for 2 to 4 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of a breast registers 135 degrees for medium-rare, 140 degrees for medium. Take care with the skillet handle; wrap it in an oven mitt so you don't burn yourself if you touch it. Transfer the breasts to a plate, cover loosely with foil, and set in a warm place.

5. In a small bowl, stir the butter and flour together until thoroughly blended and the mixture forms a paste; set aside.

6. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the honey to a simmer. Stir the honey for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it turns a deep shade of brown. Add the orange juice, chicken stock, and vinegar. Bring to a simmer again. Whisk in the butter and flour paste and simmer for 3 minutes more.

7. Spread the sugar on a plate and dip the clementine slices into it.

8. Set a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the clementine slices. Cook on one side for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sugar starts to caramelize around the edges and the slices brown. Remove from the skillet.

9. Slice the duck breasts on the diagonal and divide it among 6 plates. Spoon the sauce on top and garnish with clementine slices, browned sides up.Sally Pasley Vargas

Work at Boston Globe Media