Canard aux Mûres et...Canard aux Mûres et Lavande

Perfectly pan-roasted Magret duck breast paired with a silky parsnip-vanilla purée, finished with a sophisticated blackberry-lavender gastrique and crispy sage.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   To make the purée, combine the parsnips, heavy cream, milk, and the scraped vanilla bean paste and pod in a saucepan. Simmer gently over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, or until the parsnips are completely fork-tender.

2. 02

   Remove the vanilla pod from the parsnip mixture. Transfer the warm parsnips and simmering liquid to a high-speed blender. Add the cold cubed butter and blend on high until a velvety, emulsified purée forms. Season with fine sea salt, pass through a fine-mesh chinois, and keep warm.

3. 03

   Score the duck breast skin in a tight crosshatch pattern, ensuring you do not slice into the flesh. Season both sides generously with fleur de sel and cracked black pepper.

4. 04

   Place the duck breasts skin-side down in a cold, dry skillet. Turn the heat to medium-low. Slowly render the fat for 12 to 15 minutes, occasionally pouring off the excess fat from the pan, until the skin becomes exceptionally thin, golden, and crispy.

5. 05

   Flip the breasts and sear the flesh side for 3 to 4 minutes for a perfect medium-rare (internal temperature of 54°C / 130°F). Transfer to a warm plate and let rest for 8 minutes.

6. 06

   For the gastrique, melt the sugar with 1 tablespoon of water in a small saucepan over medium heat until it caramelizes to a deep amber color. Carefully deglaze with the red wine vinegar, stirring constantly to dissolve the caramel.

7. 07

   Add the fresh blackberries, duck stock, and lavender buds to the caramel mixture. Simmer for 10 minutes until the blackberries break down and the liquid reduces to a glossy, syrupy consistency. Pass through a fine sieve, pressing gently to extract the juices without pushing the seeds through.

8. 08

   In a separate small pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved duck fat. Fry the sage leaves for 30 seconds until crispy, then drain on paper towels.

9. 09

   To plate, spoon a generous swoosh of parsnip-vanilla purée onto the plate. Slice the rested duck breast on a bias and fan it over the purée. Drizzle the warm blackberry-lavender gastrique around, and garnish with crispy sage leaves and a final touch of fleur de sel.