Magret de Canard aux...Magret de Canard aux Mûres et Lavande

Pan-seared Magret duck breast featuring a crispy, perfectly rendered skin, served alongside a silky parsnip purée and finished with a luxurious lavender-infused blackberry gastrique.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Score the duck breast skin in a tight crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the flesh. Season both sides generously with kosher salt and black pepper; let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.

2. 02

   In a medium saucepan, combine the chopped parsnips, heavy cream, milk, smashed garlic, and the thyme sprig. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 15-20 minutes until the parsnips are completely fork-tender.

3. 03

   Place the duck breasts skin-side down in a cold, dry skillet over medium-low heat. Slowly render the fat for 12-15 minutes, pouring off the excess fat into a jar periodically, until the skin is deeply golden and ultra-crispy.

4. 04

   Flip the duck breasts and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 54°C (130°F) for medium-rare. Transfer to a warm plate, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 10 minutes before carving.

5. 05

   To make the gastrique, heat the lavender honey in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to caramelize and turn golden amber. Immediately deglaze with the Sherry vinegar and add the dried lavender; reduce by half.

6. 06

   Add the fresh blackberries and duck stock to the honey-vinegar reduction. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until the berries burst and release their juices. Strain through a fine-mesh chinois, return to low heat, and whisk in 30g of cold butter one cube at a time off the heat to create a glossy, emulsified sauce. Season with a pinch of salt.

7. 07

   Discard the thyme sprig from the parsnips. Strain the parsnips, reserving the cooking liquid. Transfer the parsnips to a high-speed blender with 50g of butter and a splash of the cooking liquid. Blend on high until velvety smooth, adding more liquid if needed. Season with white salt and white pepper.

8. 08

   To plate, swipe a generous spoonful of the hot parsnip purée across each dish. Slice the rested duck breasts on a bias. Fan the duck over the purée, drizzle elegantly with the lavender-blackberry gastrique, and garnish with Fleur de sel and fresh chervil.