Mother's new cookbook, Cooking for Two 2010, has a recipe for a simple roast duck that promised less grease and a crispy skin... we had a duck so it seemed like a good idea.

5-6 duckling
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp black pepper

Take duck and remove visible fat*. Wash and dry on both sides. Cut 5-6 inch long slashes in the back and poke the breast with a skewer. You want a lot of holes. Slide finger under breast skin to separate from meat. Rub outside with salt-baking soda-pepper mixture and let sit uncover in the frig for 12-14 hours. 

Pre heat oven to 350 F and cook for 60 minutes until breast reaches 160 F.  Turn oven up to 500 F and cook another 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 and serve. The duck turned out very nice but the skin was amazing.

* add trimmed fat to hot fat from bird and heat until melted. Pour off and save for confit.