How to cook duck magret.

       Since coming to France, we've become huge gluttons for magret de canard, the huge duck breasts that are a delicious by-product of the ducks raised for foie gras.
       In the summer, you can grill magrets outdoors. This time of year, I pan-fry them, scoring their fat first in a criss-cross pattern, and seasoning it with salt and pepper. Into a hot frypan, skin side down. After about six minutes, the magret will have released buckets of melted fat. Pour it off into a jar or, even easier, siphon it off with a turkey baster. Turn the magret over, cover the pan and let it keep cooking for another couple of minutes. About eight minutes in total gives you medium-rare results.
      Move it to a warm plate, and tent it with foil, then carve in thick slices. We find one magret is enough for the two of us. Trust me, it's better than steak.
     Magret is fantastic with sliced par-boiled potatoes fried in duck fat, or with a gutsily-dressed salad of roquette or frisée, with hunks of baguette as the starch component.
      The other night I cooked Puy lentils for 25 minutes, then mixed in chopped onion, garlic, carrot and celery that I'd sautéed till soft in butter.

     The sauce on the side is simply some homemade plum chutney warmed up in a pan. You need something to balance the richness of the duck.