Duck Breast En Mole...Duck Breast En Mole Blanco with Charred Avocado

Pan-roasted duck breast with a silky white mole crafted from toasted cashews, white chocolate, and habanero, paired with charred avocado puree and pickled shallot relish.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Prepare the quick-pickled relish: combine sliced shallots and half of the habanero pepper with apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Let steep for 20 minutes.

2. 02

   Toast cashews, sesame seeds, chopped white onion, garlic, and the remaining habanero half in a dry skillet over medium heat until lightly golden and fragrant (about 5-6 minutes).

3. 03

   Transfer toasted mole ingredients to a saucepan with chicken stock and golden raisins. Simmer gently for 15 minutes until softened.

4. 04

   Pour stock mixture into a high-powered blender and puree on high speed until completely velvet-smooth. Add white chocolate and blend until fully emulsified. Season with sea salt and keep warm.

5. 05

   Char the cut sides of the halved avocados on a blazing hot grill pan or dry skillet until distinctly blackened (2-3 minutes). Scoop pulp into a blender with remaining lime juice and salt, processing until smooth.

6. 06

   Score duck skin in a fine cross-hatch pattern, seasoning generously with sea salt. Place skin-side down in a cold cast-iron skillet over low-medium heat to gently render fat for 10-12 minutes.

7. 07

   Increase heat to medium-high to crisp skin. Flip duck and sear meat side for 2-3 minutes until internal temperature reaches 135°F (medium-rare). Rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.

8. 08

   Plate by swooshing warm Mole Blanco across warm dinner plates. Arrange sliced duck breast over mole, pipe charred avocado puree alongside, and garnish with pickled shallot relish, crumbled Cotija cheese, and micro cilantro.