Magret de Canard Rôti,...Magret de Canard Rôti, Mousseline de Panais au Beurre Noisette et Jus au Cassis

Pan-roasted French duck breast with scored crackling skin, served over a silky brown-butter parsnip mousseline, accompanied by glazed wild morels and a glossy blackcurrant-thyme reduction.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Place sliced parsnips into a heavy saucepan with whole milk, heavy cream, a pinch of sea salt, and 1 sprig of thyme. Simmer gently over medium-low heat until completely tender, about 18–20 minutes.

2. 02

   In a separate small skillet, melt 40g of butter over medium heat until foamy and lightly browned with a hazelnut aroma (beurre noisette). Strain the parsnips (reserving cooking liquid) and transfer them to a high-speed blender. Add the brown butter and 2-3 tablespoons of reserved warm cream-milk mixture. Puree until completely velvety, pass through a fine-mesh tamis, season with fleur de sel, and keep warm.

3. 03

   Season the duck breasts generously with sea salt on both sides. Place them skin-side down in a cold, dry carbon-steel or cast-iron skillet. Set the heat to medium-low to slowly render out the subcutaneous fat without scorching, draining rendered fat periodically, for 12–14 minutes until the skin turns deep golden and paper-thin crisp.

4. 04

   Flip the duck breasts to the flesh side, add 1 crushed garlic clove and 1 thyme sprig to the pan, and baste continuously with hot pan juices for 2 to 3 minutes until internal temperature registers 52°C (125°F) for medium-rare. Transfer the duck breasts to a warm wire rack and rest for 8 minutes.

5. 05

   In a sauté pan, warm 15g of butter over medium heat. Sauté the brunoised shallot and remaining crushed garlic clove for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the fresh morels and sauté for 4–5 minutes until tender. Season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.

6. 06

   Degrease the duck pan, leaving only a film of fond. Deglaze over medium-high heat with Crème de Cassis, scraping up browned bits, and reduce by half. Pour in the duck stock and remaining thyme sprig. Simmer vigorously until the sauce coats the back of a spoon (nappe consistency). Whisk in the final 25g of chilled butter off the heat (monter au beurre) to achieve a glossy sheen; strain through a fine sieve and season.

7. 07

   To assemble, swipe a generous spoonful of silky parsnip mousseline across warm ceramic plates. Slice each rested duck breast diagonally into thick medallions and fan beside the mousseline. Scatter the glazed morels around the plate, finish with a drizzle of the glossy cassis jus over the meat, and garnish with a touch of Fleur de sel de Guérande.