Canard à la Lavande...Canard à la Lavande et Cerise

Pan-seared duck breast with a delicate lavender-honey glaze, served over velvet parsnip purée with a vibrant Bing cherry gastrique.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Begin the parsnip purée: Simmer parsnips in a pot with the cream and a pinch of salt until very tender. Blend until completely smooth, passing through a fine-mesh chinois for a professional texture. Keep warm.

2. 02

   Score the duck breast skin in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut the meat. Season generously with fleur de sel and cracked black pepper.

3. 03

   Place duck breasts skin-side down in a cold stainless steel pan. Turn heat to medium-low to slowly render the fat for about 8-10 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy. Remove excess fat throughout the process.

4. 04

   While duck renders, prepare the gastrique: In a small saucepan, sauté shallots in a teaspoon of duck fat until translucent. Add honey and cook until it begins to caramelize. Deglaze with red wine vinegar and reduce by half. Add cherries and simmer until they soften and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

5. 05

   Flip the duck breasts and increase heat to medium. Brush the skin with a mixture of honey and crushed lavender. Cook for another 3-4 minutes for medium-rare (internal temp 54°C/130°F). Rest the meat for 8 minutes before slicing.

6. 06

   Whisk the chilled butter into the cherry gastrique to create a glossy emulsion. Adjust seasoning with a drop of lemon juice if needed.

7. 07

   To plate: Swipe a generous spoonful of parsnip purée across the plate. Slice the duck on a bias and arrange over the purée. Spoon the cherry gastrique over the meat and garnish with fresh micro-thyme.