Canard Rôti à la...Canard Rôti à la Lavande, Mousseline de Topinambour et Gastrique aux Cerises

Pan-roasted Moulard duck breast with crisp scored skin, paired with a silky sunchoke mousseline, charred baby leeks, and a glossy lavender-infused Griotte cherry gastrique.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Prepare the Mousseline: In a heavy saucepan, sweat the sliced sunchokes in 20g butter over medium-low heat without color for 5 minutes. Add cream and just enough water to submerge. Simmer gently until fork-tender (approx. 18 minutes). Transfer to a high-speed blender, process until ultra-smooth, then pass through a fine tamis sieve. Mount with 30g cold butter, season with fleur de sel, and keep warm.

2. 02

   Render and Cook the Duck: Score the duck skin in a tight diamond pattern without piercing the flesh. Season both sides with salt and white pepper. Place skin-side down in a cold stainless steel pan over medium-low heat. Slowly render the fat for 12–14 minutes, draining excess fat periodically, until skin is uniformly golden and crisp. Flip, add thyme sprigs, and sear flesh side for 2–3 minutes to achieve an internal temperature of 54°C (130°F, medium-rare). Transfer to a warm rest plate for 8 minutes.

3. 03

   Char the Leeks: In a hot cast-iron pan with 1 tablespoon of rendered duck fat, sear the baby leeks cut-side down until deeply caramelized (3 minutes). Flip, cover, and cook for 2 minutes until tender. Season with salt.

4. 04

   Make the Gastrique: In a saucepan, caramelize the shallot in 10g butter. Deglaze with red wine vinegar and reduce by half. Pour in Port wine, lavender, and cherries; simmer for 4 minutes. Add demi-glace and simmer gently until glossy and coats the back of a spoon. Strain out the lavender if desired, then vigorously whisk in remaining 20g cold butter off the heat to emulsify.

5. 05

   Plating: Slice duck breast on a bias. Spoon a smooth swoosh of sunchoke mousseline onto pre-warmed plates. Arrange the charred baby leeks alongside. Fan the carved duck breast against the purée, spoon the glossy cherry gastrique over the meat, and finish with a sprinkle of fleur de sel.