Muscovy Duck Breast with...Muscovy Duck Breast with Aged Black Garlic Mole & Smoked Plantain Purée

Crispy pan-seared duck breast served over a complex, velvety black garlic and pasilla mole, complemented by sweet smoked plantain purée and quick-pickled heirloom radishes.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pasilla chiles, mulato chiles, pepitas, sesame seeds, and cinnamon until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Be careful not to burn the chiles.

2. 02

   Transfer toasted chiles to a bowl with hot bone broth; steep for 15 minutes until soft.

3. 03

   Transfer the hydrated chiles, broth, toasted seeds, cinnamon, black garlic cloves, charred onion, and roasted tomatoes to a high-powered blender. Puree on high speed for 3 minutes until silkily smooth.

4. 04

   Pass the mole through a fine chinoise mesh strainer into a saucepan. Simmer over low heat, stirring in the dark Mexican chocolate until melted and glossy. Season with salt and keep warm.

5. 05

   Roast whole plantains in their skin at 400°F (200°C) for 25 minutes until soft and caramelized. Scoop out the flesh and blend with butter and a pinch of salt until velvety smooth.

6. 06

   In a small bowl, steep thin radish slices in apple cider vinegar and a pinch of salt for 10 minutes to quick-pickle.

7. 07

   Season duck breasts generously with salt. Place skin-side down in a cold cast-iron skillet and turn heat to medium-low. Render duck fat slowly for 10-12 minutes until skin is ultra-crisp and golden brown.

8. 08

   Flip duck breasts and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until internal temperature reaches 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare. Rest on a cutting board for 8 minutes before slicing.

9. 09

   To plate: Swipe smoked plantain purée across a warm plate, ladle a mirror of black garlic mole alongside, arrange sliced duck fan-style over the mole, and garnish with pickled radish curls and reserved toasted pepitas.