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Spice-Crusted Aged Duck Breast...Spice-Crusted Aged Duck Breast with Morita Cherry Gastrique and Parsnip Silk

Name: Spice-Crusted Aged Duck Breast with Morita Cherry Gastrique and Parsnip Silk
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Modern Gastronomy
Ingredients: 2 large dry-aged duck breasts (approx. 350g each), skin scored in a tight diamond pattern; 1 tbsp red Sichuan peppercorns, gently toasted and coarsely cracked; 1 tsp whole coriander seeds, lightly toasted and cracked; 3 whole dried Morita chilies, stemmed and seeded; 120 ml unsweetened tart cherry purée; 45 ml aged sherry vinegar; 150 ml concentrated duck or veal demi-glace; 450 g parsnips, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped; 80 ml heavy cream; 60 g unsalted cultured butter, cold and cubed; 10 ml fermented chili oil for finishing; Fleur de sel to taste; 12 fresh red veined sorrel leaves for garnish

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Cuisine

Modern Gastronomy

👥

Servings

⏱

Prep Time

45 mins

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Cook Time

35 mins

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Difficulty

Hard

Pan-roasted duck breast crusted with toasted Sichuan peppercorn and coriander, glazed in a complex smoked Morita chili and tart cherry reduction, balanced over velvety parsnip mousseline.

Modern GastronomyHard

Ingredients

•2 large dry-aged duck breasts (approx. 350g each), skin scored in a tight diamond pattern

•1 tbsp red Sichuan peppercorns, gently toasted and coarsely cracked

•1 tsp whole coriander seeds, lightly toasted and cracked

•3 whole dried Morita chilies, stemmed and seeded

•120 ml unsweetened tart cherry purée

•45 ml aged sherry vinegar

•150 ml concentrated duck or veal demi-glace

•450 g parsnips, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped

•80 ml heavy cream

•60 g unsalted cultured butter, cold and cubed

•10 ml fermented chili oil for finishing

•Fleur de sel to taste

•12 fresh red veined sorrel leaves for garnish

Cooking Instructions

01
Rehydrate the dried Morita chilies in 100 ml boiling water for 15 minutes. Puree until smooth with a small splash of the soaking liquid to form a rich, smoky paste.
02
In a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the parsnips and heavy cream with a pinch of fine salt. Cover and simmer gently until completely tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a high-speed blender with 30 g of butter and process until satiny and completely smooth; season and reserve warm.
03
In a small saucier, combine the tart cherry purée, sherry vinegar, and 1.5 tablespoons of the Morita chili paste. Simmer until reduced by half into a syrupy base. Whisk in the duck demi-glace and simmer until glossy and coating the back of a spoon. Finish by swirling in 15 g of cold butter off heat. Season to taste with sea salt.
04
Season the duck breasts generously with fine sea salt, then press the cracked Sichuan peppercorn and coriander seed mixture firmly into the scored skin side.
05
Place the duck skin-side down in a cold carbon steel pan. Set over low heat to slowly render the subcutaneous fat for 10–12 minutes, spooning off rendered fat regularly. Increase heat to medium-high to crisp the skin (about 2 minutes), flip, and sear the flesh side for 2 minutes to medium-rare (internal temperature 54°C / 129°F).
06
Rest the duck breasts on a warm wire rack for 8 minutes. Slice each breast into pristine medallions across the grain.
07
To plate: swipe a generous spoonful of silky parsnip purée across each warmed plate. Shingle the sliced duck alongside, spoon the spicy Morita-cherry gastrique across the meat, dot with fermented chili oil, sprinkle fleur de sel on the cut surface, and garnish with red veined sorrel.

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