One Duck, Three Dishes

• One Pekin or Muscovy Duck, about 8 pounds
• Kosher salt

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Remove the legs and wings from the duck. Break off the lower back bones so that only the breasts are resting on the ribcage. Place the breasts with the rib bones on a wire rack set over a small baking sheet. Season the skin with kosher salt and place in the oven for some of the fat to begin to render, about 7 minutes. Remove from the oven, then when cool to room temperature, refrigerate to cool and harden the duck fat. Using a sharp knife, remove the breast from the ribs and trim of any sinew or excess fat. Separately, refrigerate the duck pieces and fat if not using soon.

Spice Mix

• 3 whole star anise
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon toasted squash seeds (see Butternut Squash Mash, below)
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• 2 duck breasts
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons duck fat
• Butternut Squash Mash (see below)
• Apricot Cranberry Mostarda (see below)
• Duck Jus (see below)
• Fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Aged balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat the oven temperature to 400°F.
2. For the spice mix. Crush the star anise, peppercorns and squash seeds in a mortar and pestle until very small. Stir in the cinnamon and set aside.
3. To cook the duck breast. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
4. Remove the duck breasts from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature. Season the duck breasts on both sides with salt and on the flesh side sprinkle some of the spice mix, pressing to make it stick. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Lay the duck breasts, skin-side down in the pan, cooking until the skin begins to crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to the oven. After a couple minutes, remove from the oven and baste with the rendered fat. Return to the oven for another 3 to 4 minutes more (4 to 6 minutes total in the oven). Check the duck and if the meat is starting to firm up, and has an internal temperature of 135°F, carefully flip it over in the pan. Transfer to a wire rack or plate, season the skin side with a little bit of the spice mix and let rest for 5 minutes. (The internal temperature will rise to 140°F, for medium.)
5. Divide the squash mash between 4 plates. Slice each duck breast lengthwise in half and rest the duck on each serving of squash. Add mostarda and spoon the warm jus into the center of the plate under the duck breast. Drizzle the aged balsamic on the mostarda and the jus. Sprinkle the duck breast with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and spice mix. Enjoy!

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Split the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Remove any flesh from the seeds. Spread the seeds on a small baking sheet and toast in the oven, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside for the spice mix.
3. Cut each squash half into quarters lengthwise, for a total of 8 wedges. Sprinkle with the olive oil and salt and roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven. Once cool enough to handle, carefully cut to remove from the skin, while retaining their wedge shape.
4. Mash two of the roasted squash wedges, seasoning with salt and olive oil. Reserve the remaining squash for another use.

• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup dried apricot, cut into a medium dice or the same size as the cranberries
• ½ cup Muscat wine (I use non-alcoholic.)
• Zest and juice of one orange
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard

1. Put the cranberries, apricots, Muscat, orange juice and orange zest in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the fruit is plump and the liquid has almost gone. Set aside and cool to room temperature before stirring in the mustard. Cover and store at room temperature until serving.

• Bones from one duck
• 4 cups chicken stock

1. Using a heavy cleaver or chefs knife, roughly chop all of the bones and spread in a shallow roasting pan. Roast, stirring occasionally until golden brown and a fond (browned bits) has formed in the bottom of the pan, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, pour in the chicken stock to deglaze the pan, scraping up any of the browned bits. Return to the oven for a few minutes until the liquid comes to a boil. Remove from the oven and scrape any bits that have settled in the pan. Carefully, pour everything from the pan into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until reduced by half, about 1 hour. Strain through a fine sieve or chinoise into a small saucepan. Simmer the liquid, skimming off any excess fat until reduced by half again and it coats the back of the spoon, about 30 minutes. Reserve at room temperature for up to 1 hour or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature and warm before using.

Pickled Shallots

• 3 shallots, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 red long hot pepper, thinly sliced
• Pinch kosher salt
• Pinch sugar
• 1 cup raspberry vinegar

Fin Herbs

• 2 tablespoons parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons tarragon leaves
• 2 tablespoons chive batons (1 to 2-inch pieces)

• 1 head green leaf lettuce
• 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons duck fat, hot (from cooking the breasts)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. For the pickled shallots. In a small bowl, combine the shallots, pepper, salt and sugar. Stir the mixture until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Pour in the vinegar and stir again. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. For the herbs. Mix the parsley leaves, tarragon leaves and chive pieces together.
3. To serve. Roughly tear up the lettuce in a large metal bowl. Pour the hot duck fat over the lettuce to wilt and coat the greens. Add some pickled shallots and a couple teaspoons of the pickling liquid. Toss gently and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the herbs and toss again. Divide among bowls and sprinkle the fresh herbs over the top. Serve.

Duck Confit

• 2 duck legs with bone trimmed, seasoned on all sides with kosher salt
• 5 cloves garlic crushed
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• Duck fat, to cover legs (this is more than what will be rendered from the one duck)

• 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons duck fat, hot (from the breasts)
• 2 duck livers, finely minced
• 3 cups cooked rice, preferably wild rice
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup pistachios, toasted and cut in half

1. For the duck confit. Preheat the oven to 250°F.
2. Place the duck legs in an ovenproof pot or Dutch oven, add the garlic and rosemary and enough duck fat to cover. Cover and slowly cook in the oven until meat falls off the bone, 2 to 3 hours. Remove from the oven, and let the meat cool in the fat. The duck confit can be used at this point or stored in the fat for up to 5 days.
3. When ready to use, if the duck has been refrigerated, warm to melt the fat to remove the legs. Remove the meat from the legs and shred into large pieces.
4. Heat the duck fat in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Sauté the duck livers until chestnut brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Spread the rice over the top, and cook until it begins to crisp. Scatter the duck confit on top. It will start to steam and heat through. Continue cooking until the rice is very crispy on the bottom then scrape it up, mixing everything together. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with the scallions and pistachios.