Pan-Grilled Paillards of Duck

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon pepper black
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon curry powder 
• 1  moulard duck breast whole boneless with skin (2 lb total), halved
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger 
• 2  navel oranges cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 2 tablespoons water 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• paper towels
• sieve
• plastic wrap
• grill
• aluminum foil
• rolling pin
• grill pan
• cutting board
• meat tenderizer

Directions

1. Pull skin off duck and thinly slice skin, then cook skin with water in a 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and cracklings are browned and crisp, about 15 minutes.
2. Drain in a sieve set over a bowl and reserve rendered fat.
3. Spread cracklings on paper towels to drain.
4. Remove tender from underside of each breast half if attached and reserve for another use, then trim silver membrane from each breast half. Halve each breast half horizontally to make a total of 4 thin pieces. Gently pound each piece between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to an even 1/4-inch thickness with flat side of a meat pounder or with a rolling pin.
5. Heat grill pan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking.
6. While pan is heating, stir together salt, ginger, pepper, curry, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
7. Sprinkle each duck paillard with 1/2 teaspoon spice mixture per side and lightly brush with some rendered duck fat. Grill duck, turning over once, 3 to 4 minutes total for medium-rare, then transfer to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil.
8. While paillards stand, lightly brush orange slices with some rendered duck fat, then sprinkle with remaining spice mixture. Grill orange slices, turning over once, until just warmed through and grill marks appear, about 1 minute total, then transfer with duck to a platter.
9. Season cracklings with salt and pepper and sprinkle over duck and oranges.
10. *Available at the butcher section of many supermarkets and D'Artagnan (800-327-8246).
11. You can substitute 2 whole boneless Long Island duck breasts.
12. Remove skin from duck breasts but do not halve or pound. Cook breasts 2 minutes per side.