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Szechuan Pepper-Crusted Duck Breast...Szechuan Pepper-Crusted Duck Breast with Fermented Fresno Gastrique

Name: Szechuan Pepper-Crusted Duck Breast with Fermented Fresno Gastrique
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Modern French-Asian Fusion
Ingredients: 4 medium dry-aged Moulard or Magret duck breasts (about 200g each), skin scored; 1.5 tbsp green Szechuan peppercorns, lightly toasted and crushed; 3 tbsp lacto-fermented Fresno chili paste; 60 ml artisanal blackberry vinegar (or aged sherry vinegar); 2 tbsp raw wildflower honey; 450 g parsnips, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced; 150 ml heavy cream; 75 g cold unsalted cultured butter, cubed; 200 ml rich duck or poultry demi-glace; 2 tsp cold-pressed artisanal chili oil; Flaky Maldon sea salt to taste; 8 micro purple shiso leaves for garnish

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Cuisine

Modern French-Asian Fusion

👥

Servings

⏱

Prep Time

45 mins

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Cook Time

35 mins

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Difficulty

Hard

Crisp-skinned, dry-aged duck breast crusted with tingling green Szechuan peppercorns, balanced by a fiery fermented Fresno chili and blackberry gastrique, silky parsnip purée, and scallion-chili oil.

Modern French-Asian FusionHard

Ingredients

•4 medium dry-aged Moulard or Magret duck breasts (about 200g each), skin scored

•1.5 tbsp green Szechuan peppercorns, lightly toasted and crushed

•3 tbsp lacto-fermented Fresno chili paste

•60 ml artisanal blackberry vinegar (or aged sherry vinegar)

•2 tbsp raw wildflower honey

•450 g parsnips, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

•150 ml heavy cream

•75 g cold unsalted cultured butter, cubed

•200 ml rich duck or poultry demi-glace

•2 tsp cold-pressed artisanal chili oil

•Flaky Maldon sea salt to taste

•8 micro purple shiso leaves for garnish

Cooking Instructions

01
Prepare the parsnip silk: Simmer sliced parsnips in heavy cream and 100 ml water over medium-low heat until completely tender (about 18 minutes). Transfer to a high-speed blender with 35 g cold butter and a pinch of salt; blend on high until hyper-smooth, then pass through a fine tamis. Keep warm.
02
Craft the fiery gastrique: In a small copper saucepan, caramelize the wildflower honey until deep amber. Deglaze with blackberry vinegar, swirling until dissolved. Add the fermented Fresno chili paste and duck demi-glace. Reduce over medium heat until thickened and glossy, then whisk in 20 g cold butter to emulsify. Season with sea salt and reserve warm.
03
Season the duck: Pat duck breasts dry. Lightly toast green Szechuan peppercorns in a dry pan until aromatic, crush coarsely with a mortar and pestle, and rub into the flesh side along with fine salt. Season the scored skin with salt only.
04
Render and sear the duck: Place duck breasts skin-side down in a cold cast-iron skillet. Set heat to low-medium to slowly render the subcutaneous fat for 12-14 minutes, draining excess fat periodically, until the skin turns paper-thin and deeply golden. Increase heat to medium-high for 1 minute to crisp, flip to the flesh side, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes for medium-rare (internal temp 54°C/130°F).
05
Rest and carve: Transfer duck breasts to a warm resting rack and let rest for 7 minutes to redistribute juices and settle the crust.
06
Plate the dish: Swipe a crescent of silky parsnip purée onto each warmed plate. Slice each duck breast lengthwise or into thick medallions and fan over the purée. Nappe the meat generously with the glossy fermented chili gastrique. Finish with droplets of chili oil, Maldon salt on the crisp skin, and micro purple shiso leaves.

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