Pan-Roasted Duck Breast with...Pan-Roasted Duck Breast with Black Fig Mole and Hoja Santa Oil

Crisp-skinned, dry-aged duck breast served alongside a velvety 24-ingredient black fig mole, accented with vibrant hoja santa oil and charred mezcal-glazed cipollini onions.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Prepare the Hoja Santa Oil: Blanch hoja santa leaves in boiling salted water for 5 seconds, shock in ice water, and pat completely dry. Blend on high speed with grapeseed oil at 60°C for 3 minutes until vivid green. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter, then cool immediately over ice.

2. 02

   Toast Aromatics and Chiles: In a dry cast-iron skillet over medium heat, lightly toast the dried chiles for 30-45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to scorch. Transfer chiles and dried figs to a bowl and cover with 300ml of warm duck stock to rehydrate for 20 minutes.

3. 03

   Assemble the Fig Mole Negro: In the same skillet, char the plantain, tortilla, and spices. Transfer the rehydrated chiles, figs, soaking stock, charred aromatics, and chocolate into a high-speed blender. Puree until silk-smooth, adding the remaining stock as needed.

4. 04

   Cook the Mole: Strain the mole through a chinois into a heavy saucepan. Simmer gently over low heat for 25 minutes, stirring continuously until thickened and glossy with a deep obsidian hue. Season with fine sea salt to taste.

5. 05

   Glaze the Alliums: Place halved cipollini onions cut-side down in a hot skillet with a teaspoon of duck fat. Sear until deeply caramelized. Deglaze with mezcal, cover, and steam off the heat until tender.

6. 06

   Sear the Duck: Season the duck breasts with salt. Place skin-side down in a cold stainless-steel pan over medium-low heat. Slowly render the fat for 10-12 minutes until the skin is mahogany and extremely crisp. Flip and cook for 2 minutes to achieve medium-rare (core temperature 54°C). Rest on a warm rack for 8 minutes.

7. 07

   Plating: Spoon a mirror of warm fig mole onto the center of each shallow stoneware bowl. Slice the duck breasts lengthwise and set across the mole. Arrange mezcal-glazed cipollini petals around the duck, split the mole with drops of emerald hoja santa oil, and finish with flaky smoked sea salt and micro tagetes.