Sauteed Duck Breasts with Creamy Mustard Sauce

Start to finish: 40 minutes (15 hands on)
Servings: 2

2 Pekin duck breast halves (about 8 ounces each)
kosher salt
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1/3 cup dry white wine
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon drained green peppercorns in brine

Using a very sharp knife, lightly score the skin on each duck breast half in a crisscross pattern, all the way down but not through the meat. Pat the duck dry. Sprinkle the skin side lightly with the salt and in a large cold skillet, place the duck, skin side down. Turn the heat to medium and cook until the fat starts to render out into the pan. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue cooking the duck breasts, until the skin looks very crispy, about 8 minutes. Do not pour off the fat; the liquid fat in the pan helps to render out the fat in the skin.

When the duck skin is crisp, transfer the breasts to a plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan (reserve it for another use, such as sauteeing vegetables). Return the duck to the skillet, skin side up, and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes for medium rare. Transfer the duck to a clean plate, skin side up. Cover it loosely with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Add the shallots to the pan and cook them over medium heat, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine to the skillet, increase the heat to high and simmer until the wine is reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Add the cream, bring it to a boil and simmer until it is reduced by one third and thickened, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the mustard, peppercorns, duck juices from the plate the duck is resting on and salt to taste.

To serve: put the duck breasts on a cutting board, skin side down, and slice them very thin at an angle. Transfer the slices to each of 2 plates and spoon some of the sauce over each portion.