Recipe 2018.05.25 - Crispy Skin Duck Breast

Ingredient list, you say? Duck breast and salt and pepper. That enough for you?

Make sure the duck breast is at room temperature. For best results, score the skin of the duck breast in a crosshatch pattern, then apply salt and pepper all around. If you're lazy like me, you can forego the scoring, but it'll take longer to render the fat. Be careful not to score all the way down to the meat. The salt is to draw out the moisture, so the skin ends up crispy. Pat the skin down with a paper tower to make sure it's really dry.

Lay down the duck breast skin-side down on a non-stick pan at room temperature. If the pan's been preheated, then the skin will seal, locking in the fat, which is not what we want. Gradually turn up the heat, so the fat renders. Once the skin is crisply, turn over the breast. Turn up the heat to seal the duck breast.

Remove the pan from the stove and into a preheated oven (200°C), again skin side down for about 6 - 8 minutes.

Once done, rest for 5 minutes - skin side up this time. Cut into slices and serve.