Duck Breasts a la D'Artagnan

Using a sharp knife, score the skin side of each breast in a cross-hatch pattern, making the squares as small as possible without cutting into the meat of the breast. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add duck breasts to skillet, skin-side down, and reduce heat to medium. Cook, removing fat from pan as necessary, until skin is crisp, about 6 minutes. Turn, and cook until firm, about 3 minutes more. Transfer duck breasts to a cutting board and tent with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil and let rest.

Drain all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet and place over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring, until translucent; add wine and cook until reduced by half. Remove skillet from heat and add Armagnac; carefully ignite to flambe. Add demi-glace and figs or plums and jam, if making fig or plum version; cook until reduced by half. Season sauce with salt and pepper and stir in blackberry jam and 1/2 cup blackberries for blackberry version or truffle butter for truffle version.

Slice each duck breast crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and fan out on each of 4 plates. Drizzle sauce over duck and serve immediately. If making blackberry version, garnish with remaining blackberries.