Petto d'Anatra al Miele e Marroni

Pat dry the duck breasts with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and ground black pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Place the duck breasts skin-side down in the skillet and sear for 6-8 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy, rendering some of the fat.

Flip the duck breasts and sear the other side for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned.

Remove the duck breasts from the skillet and set aside on a warm plate.

Pour off excess fat from the skillet, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add the cognac and deglaze the pan by scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.

Stir in the Italian acacia honey until combined with the pan juices, creating a light glaze.

Add the glazed chestnuts to the skillet and warm gently for 2-3 minutes, stirring to coat with the honey glaze.

Return the duck breasts to the skillet, skin-side up, nestling them among the chestnuts. Spoon the honey-cognac glaze over the duck and cook for 2-3 minutes to finish cooking the duck to medium-rare.

Slice the duck breasts against the grain and arrange on a serving platter with the glazed chestnuts. Drizzle with any remaining pan glaze and serve immediately.