1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F).
2. Let duck stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before putting it in the oven.
3. Generously season duck with salt.
4. Mix together the Dijon, Parmesan, and maple syrup in a bowl to make a paste. Season with pepper to taste.
5. Cover duck with Parmesan mixture.
6. Place duck in a rectangular ovenproof dish.
7. Bake in oven for 15 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 160°C (325°F).
9. Return duck to oven to bake for 1 hour.
10. Remove from oven, add chicken broth, and arrange potatoes around the duck.
11. Bake for between 1 and 1½ hours at 150°C (300°F) until meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 82°C (180°F).
12. Baste duck with broth every 10 minutes.
13. Turn the oven off and leave duck in the oven.
14. Meanwhile, peel pears, cut them in half, remove core, and cut into 1-cm (½-in.) thick slices. Roughly chop the sage leaves.
15. Add a little olive oil to a non-stick skillet over high heat, sauté pears with the sage until pears are golden, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.
16. When ready to serve, place duck under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, remove from oven, and let stand for 5 minutes before carving.
17. Top each serving of duck with grilled pears and sage and serve alongside potatoes topped with cooking juices.
18. Serve with seasonal vegetables.

CHEF’S SECRET

If duck is frozen, be sure it's fully thawed before cooking.