Canard des Vosges au...Canard des Vosges au Miel de Lavande

An elegant Michelin-star classic featuring perfectly rendered Magret duck breast glazed with aromatic lavender honey, served over a velvety parsnip purée and finished with a rich blackberry-port reduction.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Score the skin of the duck breasts in a tight crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. Season both sides generously with sea salt and black pepper. Let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

2. 02

   In a small saucepan, combine the chopped parsnips, heavy cream, milk, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes until the parsnips are completely tender. Transfer to a high-speed blender, add 30g of butter, and blend until velvety smooth. Pass through a fine-mesh chinois and keep warm.

3. 03

   For the reduction, sweat the minced shallot in a small saucepan with a touch of oil until translucent. Add the Port wine, thyme sprigs, and half of the blackberries. Simmer and reduce by half. Pour in the veal demi-glace and simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Strain through a chinois into a clean saucepan, discard solids, and set aside.

4. 04

   Mix the lavender honey and sherry vinegar in a small bowl to create the glaze.

5. 05

   Place the duck breasts skin-side down in a cold, dry skillet over medium-low heat. Slowly render the fat for 10-12 minutes, pouring off excess fat as it melts, until the skin is deeply golden and crispy. Flip the breasts, sear for 2 minutes on the flesh side, and brush the crispy skin generously with the lavender-honey glaze.

6. 06

   Remove the duck from the heat and let it rest on a warm cutting board for 8 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.

7. 07

   Reheat the strained port sauce over low heat. Whisk in the remaining 15g of cold butter (monter au beurre) off the heat to create a glossy, emulsified finish. Stir in the remaining fresh blackberries.

8. 08

   To serve, spoon a generous smear of parsnip purée onto each plate. Carve the duck breasts at a sharp angle into thick slices and fan them over the purée. Drizzle the warm blackberry-port reduction around the plate, garnish with fresh blackberries from the sauce and micro chervil.