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Pan-Seared Duck Breast with...Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Artisanal Mole Negro and Blackberry-Mezcal Gastrique

Name: Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Artisanal Mole Negro and Blackberry-Mezcal Gastrique
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Modern Mexican
Ingredients: 2 Magret duck breasts, skin scored in a tight diamond pattern; 1 tsp kosher salt; 2 dried mulato chiles, stemmed and seeded; 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded; 1 dried pasilla chile, stemmed and seeded; 1/2 medium white onion, thickly sliced; 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled; 1/4 cup ripe plantain, sliced; 2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas); 2 tbsp sesame seeds, divided; 1/2 tsp freshly ground Mexican cinnamon; 2 oz high-quality Mexican dark chocolate, chopped; 2 cups rich duck stock (or dark chicken stock); 1 tbsp duck fat; 1 cup fresh blackberries; 1/4 cup artisanal mezcal; 2 tbsp organic agave nectar; 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

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Cuisine

Modern Mexican

👥

Servings

⏱

Prep Time

45 mins

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Cook Time

45 mins

⭐

Difficulty

Hard

An elegant fusion of rich, complex, Oaxacan-style mole negro paired with perfectly seared duck breast and a vibrant, smoky blackberry-mezcal gastrique.

Modern MexicanHard

Ingredients

•2 Magret duck breasts, skin scored in a tight diamond pattern

•1 tsp kosher salt

•2 dried mulato chiles, stemmed and seeded

•2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded

•1 dried pasilla chile, stemmed and seeded

•1/2 medium white onion, thickly sliced

•3 garlic cloves, unpeeled

•1/4 cup ripe plantain, sliced

•2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

•2 tbsp sesame seeds, divided

•1/2 tsp freshly ground Mexican cinnamon

•2 oz high-quality Mexican dark chocolate, chopped

•2 cups rich duck stock (or dark chicken stock)

•1 tbsp duck fat

•1 cup fresh blackberries

•1/4 cup artisanal mezcal

•2 tbsp organic agave nectar

•2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Cooking Instructions

01
Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of boiling water to rehydrate for 15 minutes.
02
In the same dry skillet, char the onion slices and unpeeled garlic cloves until blackened in spots. Peel the garlic once cooled.
03
In a high-powered blender, combine the drained chiles, charred onion, garlic, plantain slices, pumpkin seeds, 1.5 tablespoons of sesame seeds, cinnamon, and 1 cup of duck stock. Blend on high speed until completely smooth and velvety.
04
Heat 1 tablespoon of duck fat in a heavy saucepan. Pour in the blended mole paste and fry, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat, whisk in the remaining duck stock and chopped dark chocolate. Simmer gently on low for 25 minutes until deeply aromatic and thickened. Season to taste with salt.
05
To make the gastrique, combine blackberries, mezcal, agave nectar, and apple cider vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 12 minutes until the berries break down and the mixture reduces to a syrupy glaze. Press through a fine-mesh sieve to discard seeds; keep warm.
06
Season the duck breasts generously with salt. Place them skin-side down in a cold cast-iron skillet. Place over medium-low heat to slowly render the fat, cooking for 8 to 10 minutes until the skin is incredibly crispy and golden brown. Flip and cook the flesh side for 2 to 3 minutes for a perfect medium-rare. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
07
To serve, ladle a generous pool of Mole Negro onto the center of warmed plates. Arrange the sliced duck breast elegantly over the mole. Drizzle with the Blackberry-Mezcal Gastrique and garnish with the remaining toasted sesame seeds and fresh micro-coriander if desired.

Cooking Reviews

“

The Caprese Salad Skewers recipe was a triumph! I prepared them for a party's barbecue and everyone loved them. The basil was so aromatic, the mozzarella so fresh, and the skewers were the perfect size and an appropriate.

Michael Burns

July 1, 2023