Pato Laqueado con Mole...Pato Laqueado con Mole de Zarzamora y Ceniza

Crispy-skinned duck breast glazed with aged mezcal, served over a complex blackberry-infused mole negro, charred allium velvet, and crisp blue corn tuiles.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Lightly toast the seeded chiles and sesame seeds in a dry cast-iron skillet until fragrant and slightly blistered, about 90 seconds. Soak the chiles in warm duck stock for 15 minutes.

2. 02

   Transfer the softened chiles, soaking stock, toasted sesame seeds, 150g of fresh blackberries, and piloncillo to a high-speed blender. Puree until completely smooth, passing through a fine chinois into a heavy saucepan.

3. 03

   Simmer the mole over medium-low heat for 20 minutes until deepened in color. Whisk in the finely chopped dark chocolate and 30ml mezcal until glossy. Mount with 25g cold butter to achieve a velvet finish. Season with salt and keep warm over very low heat.

4. 04

   Char the cebollitas over an open flame or smoking-hot grill until tender and blackened on the exterior. Puree half of them with 25g butter and a splash of cream until silken; reserve the remaining charred onions, quartered lengthwise, for plating.

5. 05

   Prepare the blue corn tuiles: Whisk blue corn masa harina with 90ml water, 10ml oil, and a pinch of salt to a thin slurry. Spoon into a hot, lightly oiled non-stick pan over medium heat to create delicate lace crisps. Drain on paper towels and dust with chile ash.

6. 06

   Season the scored duck breasts generously with salt. Place skin-side down in a cold stainless-steel pan over medium-low heat. Slowly render the fat for 10-12 minutes until the skin turns paper-thin and mahogany crisp. Flip and sear the flesh side for 2 minutes to medium-rare (internal temp 54°C/130°F). Deglaze the pan with the remaining 15ml mezcal, basting the skin, then rest on a warm rack for 8 minutes.

7. 07

   Carve each duck breast into clean, thick ribbons. Spoon a circular pool of blackberry mole in the center of heated plates. Swirl a teardrop of charred allium velvet adjacent to the mole. Arrange carved duck, charred cebollitas petals, fresh blackberry halves, and upright shards of blue corn ash tuile. Finish with flakes of Flor de Sal.