Duck breast is a classic in French cuisine. It’s a bit like beef but with a richer, gamier flavour, typically served with sauces like orange or berry reductions to balance the rich flavour with a touch of sweetness and acidity.

The secret to a perfect duck breast is all about that crispy skin and succulent meat.

Start by scoring the skin in a crisscross pattern to help it render out the fat. Place the duck breast skin-side down in a cold pan, then gradually heat it up so the fat melts slowly, leaving you with beautifully crispy skin. Then flip it and finish in the oven for just a few minutes until it’s medium-rare. Rest it before slicing, and you’ll have a tender, flavourful duck breast with perfectly crispy skin.

Ingredients

2 duck breast fillets

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Remove the duck breast fillets from the fridge at least 15 minutes before cooking.
2. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan.
3. With a sharp knife, make a few diagonal incisions in the skin of each duck breast. Make a few more diagonal incisions to create a crisscross pattern. The cuts should not go all the way through to the flesh.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside until the duck breasts are returned to room temperature.
5. Put the duck breasts in a cold frying pan, skin-side down, and slowly heat the pan over medium heat.
6. Keep frying until the skin is crispy and you have melted out as much of the visible white fat as possible. This can take about 10 minutes.
7. Turn the duck breasts and fry for one more minute.
8. Pour the excess fat into a bowl or a dish. I keep this fat for roast potatoes and other veggies later.
9. Put the duck breasts in the oven and cook for 5-6 minutes for medium, pink duck breasts.
10. Rest the duck breasts for 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

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Janice xx