Duck Breast with Red Wine Sauce

This was shockingly easy and very delicious.  My parents were in town this past weekend and I made some duck soup for them.  I pulled 2 of my Rouens from the freezer.  One of them had been very nicely plucked and there were no dark marks on the breast.  So, I cut those off and saved them. 
Tonight I sauteed them and drizzled them with red wine sauce.  You can make this as fancy or as simple as you'd like.  Since I'm eating alone tonight I went the simple route and served mine with ramen noodles and green beans. 



Sauteed Duck Breast
2 Duck breast with skin on
sea salt
black pepper
smoked paprika

Prepare the breasts by scoring the skin in a cross hatch pattern.  Do this by slicing the skin and fat every half inch or so being careful not to cut the meat.  Rotate the breast and slice again so the slices criss-cross. Like an argyle sweater. Pat dry with a paper towel.
Lightly season with salt, pepper, and paprika.  Allow the meat to come to room temperature
Heat a pan over medium high heat.
Place breast skin side down in hot pan.  DON'T touch it.  Let it sizzle 5-8 minutes.  As it's cooking it will release a lot of fat.  I spooned this out periodically. 
Season the meat side with salt, pepper, and paprika
Once the skin is nice and brown and crispy (think bacon-like) flip the breasts.
Very lightly salt the skin side again.  This will help keep the skin crispy and not so greasy.
After about 3-5 minutes it should be done.  You can tell by pressing on the meat.  If it is firm but springy it's done.
Pick up the breasts with a tongs and lightly *kiss* the thick sides of the filet to the pan so they are lightly browned.
Put the breasts on a cutting board to rest for at least 5 minutes more if you can stand it.
Slice and serve

**notes: duck is best served medium rare.  Over cooked duck will become very dry and not at all delicious. 

Red Wine Sauce
1/2 c red wine
1/2 c chicken broth
1 tsp garlic
2 Tbl cold butter

In the same pan you used for the duck pour in wine, broth, and garlic.  Boil and reduce liquid to about half.  Add butter.  Swirl until butter is melted and the sauce looks velvety.
You can make this sauce for anything, chicken, steak, pork etc...