Recipe : Double Duck Breast Roasts

Another David Tanis' recipe and a great way to roast duck breasts that are more tender than any duck breat I ever had ...






ingredients.
1 teaspoon peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon allspice berries
1/2 teaspoon juniper berries
2 dried bay leaves
3 tablespoons coarse salt
2 whole cloves
6 garlic closes, slivered
6 large Muscovy duck breasts, about 1 pound each




Put salt in small bowl. Finely grind peppercorns, allspice, juniper, cloves, and bay leaves in a mortar or spice mill. 
Mix ground spices with the salt & add the garlic.

Season both sides of each duck breast with spice mixture, rubbing spice into the flesh using your fingers.
Now pair up the breasts, and make each pair into a sort of sandwich, skin sides out. Using butcher's twine, tie duck breasts together firmly, to make 3 compact little roasts. 

Wrap and refrigerate for at least several hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place duck breasts in a shallow roasting pan and allow to come to room temperature. Transfer roasting pan to oven and roast for 15 minutes. Carefully pour off fat and discard.
Turn duck breasts and continue roasting until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 125 degrees, about 15 minutes more.
Carefully pour off any fat and discard. Let duck breasts stand 10 to 15 minutes. Remove twine and slice duck breasts crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. 
Arrange slices on a warmed platter.

Note: this recipe will serve 10-12, but even with a smaller dinner party a leftover duck roast will make for excellent sandwiches or salad topping the next day ...

(adapted from David Tanis' recipe in "A Platter of Figs" ...)

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