Fill the cylinder with mercury and float it up, then suck out the mercury. Then poison everyone within a five-mile radius when you start the car and burn off the residue
Actually might work, but of course you'd be a moron if you did it - don't even think about it.
Something that might work: jack the front of the car WAY up, so it rolls back, and then pull it out at TDC. Be careful if you try: it'll need to go very, very high. One more thing: maybe you can get something in the intake valve to push/pull it around?
However, I think I'd take the head off. I haven't done it, but I'm assuming you can get the valve cover and head off the front bank while it's in the car without too much trouble. I'd be afraid of the ceramic having chipped and leaving a little piece in there. You'll run the risk of scored cylinder walls or even broken valves if you have anything hard in there: better safe than sorry!
Disclaimer: I'm not an engine pro. I have NOT had the heads off a Duratec, so there might be something tricky about it I don't know about. Paging Greg, Tom, Rick...
