Magret de Canard Rôti...Magret de Canard Rôti au Poivre Sauvage, Mousseline de Panais et Réduction Cerise Noire-Cassis

Crisp-skinned Moulard duck breast crusted with wild Voatsiperifery pepper, served atop a silk-smooth brown-butter parsnip mousseline, blistered baby leeks, and a glossy black cherry-cassis duck reduction.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Score the duck breast skin in a tight 2mm diamond crosshatch pattern without piercing the flesh. Season generously on both sides with fine sea salt and the crushed wild Voatsiperifery pepper. Allow to temper at room temperature for 20 minutes.

2. 02

   Prepare the mousseline: Place chopped parsnips into a saucepan with cold, salted water. Bring to a simmer and cook until fork-tender (approx. 15 minutes). Drain thoroughly and steam dry for 2 minutes.

3. 03

   In a separate pan, melt 60g of butter over medium heat until it foams and turns nutty and hazelnut-brown (beurre noisette). Transfer parsnips, beurre noisette, and warm cream to a high-speed blender; purée on high until silken. Pass through a fine-mesh tamis sieve, season to taste, and keep warm.

4. 04

   Place duck breasts skin-side down in a cold, dry carbon steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Slowly render the fat for 12–14 minutes, draining accumulated fat periodically, until the skin is hyper-crisp and deep golden mahogany.

5. 05

   Turn the breasts to flesh-side down, add two sprigs of thyme, and sear for 2 to 3 minutes until an internal temperature of 52°C (125°F) for medium-rare is reached. Transfer to a warm wire rack and rest for 8–10 minutes.

6. 06

   Blanch baby leeks in salted boiling water for 90 seconds, plunge into ice water, drain, then char quickly in a smoking-hot skillet with a teaspoon of rendered duck fat until lightly blackened on one side.

7. 07

   For the sauce: In a clean saucier, sweat minced shallots in 10g duck fat over medium heat until translucent. Deglaze with crème de cassis, scraping fond, and reduce by half. Add dark duck stock and remaining thyme; simmer vigorously until reduced to a glossy, coating consistency (approx. 8–10 minutes). Stir in halved cherries, discard thyme, and mount off-heat with 60g cold cubed butter until lustrous.

8. 08

   To serve: Carve rested duck breasts on a bias into elegant medallions. Swoosh parsnip mousseline across warm ceramic plates, arrange duck slices alongside charred baby leeks, spoon over the glossy cherry-cassis reduction, and finish each duck medallion with Fleur de sel.