PREP: Mise the recipe ahead of time.

1. Partially freeze the duck breasts to facilitate scoring (no need to freeze chicken breasts):

• Remove the duck breasts from the packaging, rinse under cold water, and blot dry.
• Place the duck breasts on a sizzle pan or small tray, skin-side-up, and place in the freezer for about 20 minutes to harden the skin.

2. Fabricate the squash:

• Use a chef knife to cut the squash in half, widthwise, at the place where its narrow neck joins the bulbous part.
• Trim off the stem and blossom ends.
• Stand the bulbous squash half upright on one of its cut ends and, using a sharp boning knife, make downward cuts all around the circumference of the squash to remove its thick skin.
• Use the chef knife to cut the bulbous squash half in half lengthwise, and then use a spoon to scrape out all of the seeds and stringy pulp.
• Cut the squash into thick, curved batonnets (French-fry shapes) about the size of a piece of the rigatoni.
• Weigh the batonnets: You need about 3 ½ oz per person.
• If necessary, trim a portion of the remaining squash and cut more batonnets.
• (If using pre-cut squash, trim the cubes of any stringy pulp left during processing.) 

3. Blanch and refresh the kale:

• Bring about 2 qt water to the boil. Place a bowl of cold water near the stove.
• Rinse the kale leaves under cool water and shake dry.
• Remove the thick veins from the kale leaves and discard. Cut the kale into rough 1 ½ -inch squares.
• Immerse the kale in the boiling water and cook for about 30 seconds or until wilted and slightly softened.
• Use a “spider” strainer to transfer the kale into the bowl of cold water, and then place the bowl in the sink under cold running water for about 2 minutes until completely cold.
• Drain the kale and gently squeeze to remove excess water.

4. Peel and mince the garlic.

5. Grate the Parmigiano cheese.

6. Trim and score the duck breasts. (If using chicken breasts, omit the scoring step.)

• Place the breasts skin-side-down on a cutting board. Trim and discard the excess fat and the skin that appears around the edges of the meat, leaving on a cap of skin that is the same dimensions as the meat.
• Turn over the breasts. Begin scoring the duck skin by cutting parallel lines, a little less than ¼-inch apart, diagonally across the skin. Try not to score into the meat. Rotate the breasts 90 degrees and repeat the scoring process, resulting in diamond-shaped cross-hatching.
• Season the flesh side of the breasts lightly with salt, and then put the salted flesh sides together.

7. If prepping ahead, store all ingredients in plastic bags or containers, and refrigerate.

HOLD: Refrigerate all ingredients up to 5 days.

COOK! Finish and plate your dinner.

8. Bring about 1 gallon water to the simmer.

9. Pan-roast the duck breasts or chicken breasts:

• Preheat an oven to 400°F.
• Place a sauté pan over medium heat and wait for it to become hot.
• Blot dry the duck breasts or chicken breasts and place them, skin-side-down, in the dry pan. Sauté for about 1 minute until the skin becomes golden brown.
• Turn the breasts over, taking care to avoid splattering hot fat. Season the skin with salt. Sauté about 30 seconds longer.
• Transfer the breasts to a sizzle pan or small tray, skin-side-up. Place them the oven and roast for 7 to 10 minutes to a rare doneness (125°F internal temperature). Roast chicken breasts to 160℉.
• Remove the pan from the oven to the back of the stove and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Carryover cooking will increase the internal temperature to medium-rare (130°F). Chicken breasts will increase to 165℉.

10. Start the sauce:

• Place a non-stick sauté pan over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp olive oil, then add the squash and a pinch of salt. Sauté for about 1 minute until the edges begin to brown. Turn the heat to low and add the sage leaves. Continue sautéing, turning the squash occasionally, for about 3 minutes longer until the squash softens to an al dente texture and the edges turn golden brown.
• Add the garlic and kale. Sauté, stirring gently, about 30 seconds.
• Add the chicken stock and turn off the heat.

11.  Boil the rigatoni:

• Raise the heat under the simmering water to achieve a rapid boil. Add the step 11 salt.
• Stir in the rigatoni. Cook at a rapid boil for about 8 minutes until the pasta reaches a texture just a little firmer than al dente.

12. Assemble the pasta:

• Using a “spider” strainer, lift the rigatoni out of the boiling water and into the pan with the sauce. Squeeze in the lemon juice.
• Turn on the heat under the sauté pan to high. Toss gently to combine the pasta and sauce ingredients. When hot, and when only about 1/4 inch liquid remains in the pan, turn off the heat.

13. Carve the duck breast:

• Remove the duck breasts from the sizzle pan to a cutting board. Use a sharp boning knife to cut each breast into diagonal slices about 1/4-inch thick, keeping the slices together in the original shape of the breast. Pour any accumulated juices into the pasta.

14. Finish the pasta:

• Stir the butter in to the pasta until it emulsifies into a creamy sauce and there are no visible butter chunks.
• Fold in the cheese.
• If the sauce becomes too thick and the pasta looks dry, fold in a little of the hot pasta-cooking water to achieve a clingy but flowing consistency.
• Evaluate the flavor and, if necessary, add salt and/or more lemon juice.

15. Plate:

• Divide the pasta among warmed pasta plates.
• Slide the boning knife under each duck breast and arrange the slices on top of the pasta, overlapping, on the right.
• Offer the pepper mill at the table.