Pan-Seared Duck Breast with...Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Blackberry-Ancho Mole & Sweet Corn Purée

An elegant, Michelin-caliber fusion featuring crispy-skinned duck breast, a complex, glossy blackberry-infused ancho mole, and a velvety sweet heirloom corn purée.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   For the Mole: Tear the dried ancho chilies into flat pieces. In a dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast the chilies for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not burnt. Transfer them to a bowl, cover with boiling water, and let rehydrate for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid.

2. 02

   In the same skillet, heat the duck fat or lard over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion and garlic until deeply caramelized, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the toasted sesame seeds, the ground cinnamon, and ground cloves, cooking for 1 minute more until highly aromatic.

3. 03

   In a high-speed blender, combine the rehydrated chilies, the caramelized onion mixture, 1 cup of fresh blackberries, the reserved soaking liquid, and 1 cup of the duck stock. Blend on high until completely smooth and velvety.

4. 04

   Pour the puréed mole back into a clean saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the chopped Mexican dark chocolate and the remaining 1/2 cup of duck stock. Simmer gently, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes until the mole thickens to a glossy, coat-the-back-of-a-spoon consistency. Season to taste with fine sea salt. Pass through a fine-mesh chinois for an ultra-fine texture and keep warm.

5. 05

   For the Sweet Corn Purée: In a medium saucepan, combine the corn kernels, heavy cream, and butter. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes until the corn is tender. Transfer to a blender and process until smooth. Pass the purée through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any skins, season with sea salt, and keep warm.

6. 06

   For the Duck: Pat the scored duck breasts completely dry and season both sides generously with sea salt. Place the duck breasts skin-side down in a cold cast-iron skillet. Turn the heat to medium-low. Allow the fat to render slowly and the skin to become deeply golden and crispy, about 8-10 minutes, pouring off excess fat as it accumulates.

7. 07

   Flip the duck breasts and cook on the flesh side for 2-3 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature of 135°F / 57°C). Transfer the duck to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before carving.

8. 08

   To Plate: Spoon a vibrant pool of the warm sweet corn purée onto the center of each plate. Spoon a generous crescent of the blackberry-ancho mole alongside it. Slice each duck breast on a bias and arrange beautifully over the corn purée. Garnish with halved fresh blackberries, the remaining toasted sesame seeds, and delicate micro-cilantro.