Crispy Skin Duck Breast

Here is a simple way to cook duck breast with a crispy skin that is sure to impress ...
 

Ingredients

• 2 Duck breast halves (each half 200grms approx) 
• Salt
• Pepper

Duck Breast

Preheat the oven to 180^oC. Use a sharp knife to make 5 to 6 diagonal slashes across the skin of the duck, taking care not to cut into the pink flesh. This will enable the fat of the Duck breast to render as the meat cooks.  Duck skin is thicker that chicken and can be quite rubbery if not cooked to make it golden.

Place Duck breast, skin side down, in a COLD pan with NO OIL.  Starting cold allows the fat to slowly melt and render out. 
Cook on med-low for 6 to 10 minutes until the fat is mostly rendered and the skin is golden and crisp.. Pour off rendered fat (save it for roasting potatoes!), turn the duck breast over, and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Place in the preheated oven, either in your oven proof handled frying pan, or transferred to a tray, for 6-8 minutes or until the juices nearly run clear and the meat is medium rare.

Remove from oven and leave it to rest for 5-10 minutes.  This allows the juices to redistribute and keeps the meat tender.

Slice crosswise into medallions and serve. 

While your Duck Breast is roasting or resting, you could use the pan you seared your duck in to saute some precooked potatoes, or a selection of exotic mushrooms, or spinach, rocket and kale with finely minced garlic.

Once you have the cooking of duck breast perfected, the options are endless!