Pan-Seared Duck Breast with...Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Mole de Mora and Toasted Amaranth

An elegant, Michelin-caliber reinterpretation of Mexican mole. Rich, pan-seared duck breast paired with a velvety, complex blackberry-infused mole, finished with nutty toasted amaranth and vibrant micro-herbs.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the dried ancho and pasilla chiles for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer them to a bowl of boiling water and let soak for 15 minutes to rehydrate.

2. 02

   In the same skillet, toast the sesame seeds until golden brown. Transfer to a high-speed blender.

3. 03

   Season the scored duck breasts generously with kosher salt on both sides. Place them skin-side down in a cold, dry, heavy-bottomed pan. Turn the heat to medium-low to slowly render the duck fat, draining the liquid fat from the pan periodically (reserve this fat).

4. 04

   In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved duck fat over medium heat. Sauté the shallots and garlic until softened and slightly caramelized, about 4 minutes.

5. 05

   Add the blackberries, ground cinnamon, drained rehydrated chiles, and chicken stock to the saucepan. Simmer gently for 10 minutes until the blackberries break down.

6. 06

   Transfer the blackberry and chile mixture to the blender with the toasted sesame seeds. Blend on high speed for 2 minutes until perfectly smooth. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh chinois or sieve back into the saucepan for a velvety, glossy finish.

7. 07

   Place the strained mole over low heat, whisk in the Mexican dark chocolate until completely melted and integrated, and season with salt. Keep warm.

8. 08

   Increase the heat under the duck breasts to medium-high to crisp the skin to a deep golden brown (about 6-8 minutes total skin-side). Flip and sear the flesh side for 2 minutes for medium-rare (internal temp of 135°F/57°C). Remove from pan and let rest for 8 minutes before slicing.

9. 09

   To plate: Spoon a generous pool of warm Mole de Mora onto the center of each plate. Slice the rested duck breast at a sharp angle into 5-6 elegant slices and fan them over the mole. Garnish with a sprinkle of toasted popped amaranth, flaky sea salt, and delicate micro-cilantro.