Tastes like chicken. That phrase has been used to describe everything from quail to frog
with varying degrees of accuracy. But not duck. Duck is, in fact, valued for its rich, dark
flesh; when prepared well, it's more flavorful than chicken, with a skin that crisps in a way
that chicken skin often doesn't. Sadly, home cooks shy away from duck, often because
of its fatty reputation (it is, of course, a water fowl, so it needs the protection of the fat).
We'll solve that problem, and show how easy it can be to quarter a whole duckling. We'll
prepare duck legs by braising them (a great technique for dark meat) and the breasts
with a simple sear. We will also make a sauce of ginger and cassis that is a perfect,
tempered accompaniment. 

Quartering Your Duck

Roasting a whole duck can be problematic: by the time the legs are done, chances are
the breasts are dry and the skin is burnt. The easy solution to this problem is to cut the
duck into pieces, then reassemble it into a dish.

We'll begin with a Long Island Pekin duck. Contrary to what most people think, because 
of its name, Pekins do not hail from China -- it's simply the medium-size bird 4-6 pounds
that is raised to accommodate most recipes. After unwrapping the duckling, remove the
innards (much of this, including the liver, can be saved & used elsewhere) and cut away
any excess fat or skin (don't remove too much skin or the remaining flesh will pull back
when cooking, exposing the meat). To begin the quartering, pull the wings away from the
body and cut them off at the second joint (they can be used to prepare duck stock).Find
the natural seam between the breast cage and the legs. Pull each leg away as you cut
through the joint. Twist or cut off the piece of backbone that remains. Continue to remove
any excess fat.

Find the natural seam that runs down the middle of duck's back and cut into the breast
until you hit bone. Make a long incision down the back, with the knife just to one side of
the spine. Angle your knife slightly and slice down and away until you detach the breast
meat. Remove the other breast and use the resulting carcass for stock.

Now you've got two legs and two breasts. To prepare the breasts for cooking, score the
skin in a criss-cross pattern (don't cut into the meat); this will allow the fat to render out.
To clean the legs, trim off any excess fat or skin. Store the pieces in the refrigerator until
needed.

To Saute the Breasts

Duck breasts are not as flavorful as the legs and are much fattier. By preparing them
correctly, however, you can get a mild, tender product that acts as a nice counterpart to
the richer legs. The key is to score the skin so the fatty layer of the breast can render,
allowing for both less fat and a crispier skin.

2 duck breasts
Salt and pepper.

1. Score the skin in a criss-cross pattern (don't cut into the meat). Season well with salt
and pepper.

2. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat until hot, and place breast, skin-side down 
(don't crowd the pan or move the breasts around too much). The fat should begin to 
render. Once it has a nice golden brown, lower the heat and continue to cook slowly.
Occasionally, pour off the fat that accumulates in the pan (this can be a little tricky: to
remove the fat, hold the meat to the pan with tongs and tip the pan, letting the fat run off
into a heat-resistant bowl).

3. Cook the breast on the skin side for 10 to 12 minutes, turn and cook for another 30
seconds. Remove from the heat and let the breasts rest for a few minutes before slicing.
After resting, slice into thin (1/4- to 1/2-inch) pieces.

Ginger and Cassis Sauce

1/2 cup sugar
Grated zest of 2 oranges and 1 lemon
Juice of 3 oranges
Juice of 2 lemons
2 shallots, minced
2 cups Madeira wine (you may substitute Marsala or a sweet sherry)
2 Tb minced fresh ginger
4 Tb black currant jelly
1/2 cup demi-glace of duck (the strained liquid remaining from the recipe)
Salt, to taste
1 Tb green peppercorns, drained (don't substitute black or white peppercorns).

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, caramelize the sugar (don't stir or the sugar will 
seize up; you can swirl the pan to avoid over-browning, but only after the sugar starts
to brown) until totally melted and browned. Remove from heat.

2. Add the orange and lemon juice little by little, and then the zest and Madeira wine
 (the sugar may seize while adding the juices -- that's ok; it'll re-melt). Simmer over 
medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Add the minced shallots, minced ginger, black currant jelly and the demi-glace. 
Whisk together and simmer for 15 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

4. Strain sauce through a chinois or fine mesh strainer, pressing down on the solids
to extract all the liquid. (You can prepare the sauce to this point and refrigerate or
freeze before proceeding.)

5. Season with salt if necessary and add the peppercorns (add fewer peppercorns for 
a less spicy sauce).

Finishing and Plating the Dish

Separate the drumstick from the thigh with a knife. If you like, "French" the drumstick 
by scraping away the skin, tendons and cartilage from the bottom of the bone. Lay 
the drumsticks and thighs over rice (a mixture of white and wild rice is a pleasant 
accompaniment) and fan out the breast slices. Spoon sauce lightly over everything 
and serve with greens or vegetables.