Duck Confit Carnitas with...Duck Confit Carnitas with Fig-Pasilla Salsa and Heirloom Blue Corn Tortillas

An elevated, Michelin-star interpretation of classic Michoacán carnitas. Rich duck leg confit, crisped to perfection, paired with a smoky-sweet fig and pasilla chile salsa, served over hand-pressed heirloom blue corn tortillas.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Rub the duck legs with 1 tablespoon of sea salt, the garlic cloves, and orange peel. Let cure in the refrigerator for 2 hours, then rinse thoroughly and pat completely dry.

2. 02

   Preheat the oven to 225°F (110°C). Melt the duck fat in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven. Submerge the duck legs, garlic, orange peel, and cinnamon stick in the fat. Cover and confit in the oven for 3 hours until the meat is meltingly tender and pulling away from the bone.

3. 03

   While the duck cooks, prepare the salsa: Toast the pasilla chiles in a dry pan for 2 minutes until fragrant. Rehydrate the chiles and dried figs in 1 cup of boiling water for 15 minutes. Char the shallot halves in the same dry pan until blackened in spots.

4. 04

   In a high-speed blender, combine the rehydrated chiles, figs, soaking liquid, charred shallot, mezcal, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Blend on high until completely smooth and velvety, then pass through a fine-mesh sieve.

5. 05

   For the avocado crema, blend the avocado, Mexican crema, remaining 2 tablespoons of lime juice, and a pinch of salt until silky and vibrant green. Transfer to a squeeze bottle and refrigerate.

6. 06

   Make the tortillas: Mix the blue corn masa harina with a pinch of salt and warm water. Knead for 5 minutes until a smooth, playdough-like consistency is reached. Divide into golf-ball-sized portions, press in a tortilla press lined with plastic, and cook on a smoking-hot clay comal (or cast-iron skillet) for 50 seconds on the first side, 1 minute on the second, and 15 seconds on the first side again until they puff slightly. Keep warm in a clean towel.

7. 07

   Remove the duck legs from the fat and shred the meat, discarding bones and excess skin. Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat with 2 tablespoons of the duck confit fat. Sear the shredded duck until the edges are beautifully caramelized and crispy, yet juicy inside.

8. 08

   To assemble, place a spoonful of crispy duck carnitas onto a warm blue corn tortilla. Drizzle with the smoky fig-pasilla salsa, dot with avocado-lime crema, and garnish elegantly with cilantro microgreens.