Spice-crusted Duck Breast with Cumin-scented Carrots

This is such an easy but elegant dinner. It would be very nice for a mid-week celebration -- the spice-crusted duck is quick and tasty and the orange (I used clementines because I had a lot left over from another project) and honey glaze matched up perfectly with the spices (ground coriander, cumin, star anise, white pepper and bit of cayenne) on the duck. I actually made the glaze first (the recipe calls for cooking the duck first and then making the glaze in the same pan while the duck rests after cooking) and added some but not all of the duck fat to the sauce to finish it.

The cumin-scented baby carrots were so quick and delicious that I know I'll be serving them with many other dishes down the road. We decided on a Spanish rose with this since neither a red nor white whine seemed like a match with the flavors here, and we pleased with the pairing.