Duck Breasts

The Southwestern magret is the boned breast from a fattened Moulard duck. Most often, the meaty breast is simply broiled or sautéed, then thinly sliced and served with a sauce, shallot vinaigrette, or moutarde violette. It is also delicious with a gratin of cooked cornmeal and fresh cheese, a sweet red wine sauce, a potato gratin, a fruit sauce, or a fricassee of mushrooms and chestnuts. In fact, the opportunities are endless.

Magret is not an old tradition. Years ago, the people who raised ducks for foie gras used the rest of the duck for confit, but in the 1970s, Chef André Daguin, in the Gascon town of Auch, came up with the idea of serving the breast grilled and rare, like a good steak. Today, it is hard to find breasts turned into confit. Instead, they are smoked, cured (see Home-Cured Duck Ham), or cooked in the various methods described in this chapter.