Duck Breast with Mango and Spring Onion

The marriage of duck and fruit is one of the great traditions of French cuisine—duck à l'orange being the most famous example. But the French, despite their culinary prowess, didn't have access to the mango, that impossibly fragrant stone fruit from South Asia that ripens into something approaching perfection. When you combine the rich, gamey fat of duck breast with the sweet-tart complexity of ripe mango, sharpened with ginger and lime and softened with honey, you get something that neither culture could have invented alone. This recipe takes the Scandinavian approach to duck—scored skin, rendered slowly to achieve maximum crispness—and pairs it with a sauce that draws from Asian flavors without attempting to be authentically anything. The spring onions, cut on the bias and added at the last moment, provide freshness and a mild allium note that ties everything together. The chili is optional but recommended; its heat cuts through the richness of the duck fat in a way that makes you want another bite. The key to duck breast is patience during the rendering process. Start skin-side down in a cold pan and let the fat slowly melt away, basting the meat with its own deliciousness. Rush this step and you'll have flabby skin and a kitchen full of smoke.