Wild Game Recipe: Pan Roasted Duck with Corn Crepes and Sage, Sour Cherry Sauce

Summary: Duck is one of my favorite wild game to hunt, to cook and to eat. Whether domestic pekin, muscovy or moulard, or true wild duck, it is flavorful, versatile, and, provided you cook it properly, lean. This recipe is really a summer recipe, but if you have a good supply of sweet corn, it will do fine anytime of year.

For this recipe, I use either muscovy duck, a brazilian breed which is known for its incredible flavor and lean profile, or wild-hunted duck. Other breeds, such as moulard or pekin, will do fine, but be aware that the principal difference among these types of duck is the fat cap underneath the skin. With any breed of duck, to cook it properly, you want to render the fat from under the skin of the breast at a cooking temperature and time that will allow the skin to brown perfectly, once all the excess fat is rendered away. For all breeds, lightly score the duck breast, skin side, so that the skin is pierced (freeing the fat to render away), without going into the flesh of the breast. To do this, you will need a sharp knife. Score the breast at 45 deg. angles, so you end up with a diamond pattern on the skin side of the breast. To prep the duck for cooking, score it and season it with salt and pepper on both sides. Allow the duck to rest for 30 minutes. When you are ready to serve, do not add butter or oil to your pan - just set the duck, skin side down, in the pan and cook over low to moderate heat. As the fat renders away, pour it off. You want to adjust your heat, and your time in cooking the skin side, so that most of the fat is rendered about the time your skin is browned nicely. For 6 6 hen breasts, or 3 drake breasts (of moulard or muscovy), each portion being app. 8 ounces, uncooked. Corn Crepes Corn Crepes 4 cups corn kernels (about 4 ears) salt white pepper 1