Smoked Lapsang Souchong Duck...Smoked Lapsang Souchong Duck Breast with Kabocha Silk and Sansho Cherry Jus

Crisp-skinned, tea-smoked duck breast paired with velvety brown-butter kabocha purée, vibrant pickled beech mushrooms, and an aromatic black cherry jus spiced with Sichuan and Sansho peppers.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Prepare the pickled mushrooms: In a small saucepan, bring the rice vinegar, mirin, 30ml water, and a pinch of salt to a boil. Pour the hot pickling liquid over the trimmed shimeji mushrooms in a heatproof bowl. Let steep and cool to room temperature.

2. 02

   Make the kabocha silk: Steam the diced kabocha squash until completely tender (approx. 15 minutes). Meanwhile, melt 40g of butter in a saucepan over medium heat until browned and nutty. Transfer the hot squash, brown butter, white miso, and warm heavy cream into a high-powered blender; purée on high until glossy, smooth, and silken. Season to taste and pass through a fine sieve; keep warm.

3. 03

   Prepare the cherry-sansho reduction: In a saucier, combine halved cherries, Shaoxing wine, and star anise over medium heat. Simmer until the wine is reduced by half. Add the duck demi-glace and gently simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon (approx. 8–10 minutes). Stir in the Sansho pepper, remove the star anise, and whisk in the remaining 20g of cold butter. Keep warm.

4. 04

   Set up the tea smoke: Line a heavy cast-iron pan or wok with heavy-duty foil. Add the Lapsang Souchong tea, uncooked rice, and brown sugar. Place a wire rack over the mixture. Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture begins to smolder and release fragrant smoke.

5. 05

   Smoke and render the duck: Season the duck breasts thoroughly with fine salt. Place them skin-side up on the smoking rack, cover tightly with a domed lid or foil tent, and smoke over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove the duck breasts and place skin-side down in a cold stainless-steel skillet over low-medium heat. Slowly render the skin fat for 8–10 minutes until deeply golden, thin, and brittle.

6. 06

   Finish and rest: Flip the duck breasts flesh-side down and cook for 2–3 minutes, basting with hot rendered fat until an internal temperature of 54°C (130°F) is reached for medium-rare. Transfer to a warm board and rest for 6–8 minutes before carving into neat medallions.

7. 07

   Plating: Spoon a generous swipe of kabocha silk across each warmed plate. Arrange carved duck breast slices alongside. Artfully place clusters of pickled shimeji and poached cherry halves around the plate. Spoon the glossy Sansho cherry jus over the duck, finish with flaky sea salt on the duck skin, and garnish with micro purple shiso.