Gather your mise en place; get together all of the equipment needed for the recipe and gather your ingredients.

Working with the duck breast skin side up on a cutting board, score the duck skin in a cross-hatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat.

Chop the thyme finely, and mix with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Rub the salt, pepper and thyme mixture into the scored skin of the duck, and on the back of the breast as well.

Cut 3 of the oranges in half and juice them. Peel the fourth orange, and cut it into rough chunks.

Add the orange juice to a medium pot with the cinnamon sticks, star anise, soy sauce, pomegranate molasses, honey and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a low simmer, and cook until reduced by at least half. The mixture should be thickened and slightly syrupy.

Cut the pomegranate into chunks, and seed half of the pomegranate. Rip the second half into rough chunks for your presentation.

Heat a heavy skillet (cast iron is best) over medium heat. Place the duck skin side down in a preheated pan and cook without flipping, basting the meat with fat occasionally. Cook the duck to rare, and it will be finished in the oven.

Drain the duck fat from the cast iron pan and reserve fat for another use. Place the duck breasts skin side up in the pan and sprinkle them with chunks of orange and pomegranate seeds. Pour half the glaze over the duck breasts, and return the duck to the oven. Cook until duck reaches medium rare, 130°F.

Let the duck breast rest for about 8 minutes, and then slice. Plate the duck scattered with additional wedges of pomegranate and more glaze.