Pan-Roasted Duck Breast with...Pan-Roasted Duck Breast with Black Garlic Sichuan Reduction & Ginger-Parsnip Silk

A refined Michelin-caliber Asian fusion dish featuring succulent skin-rendered duck breast, a smooth ginger-infused parsnip purée, crispy pickled Asian pear, and a glossy, deeply aromatic fermented black garlic and Sichuan jus.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   In a small bowl, whisk the unseasoned rice vinegar and granulated sugar together until dissolved. Add the julienned Asian pear, toss gently to coat, and allow to lightly quick-pickle at room temperature for 20 minutes.

2. 02

   To make the purée, place chopped parsnips and grated ginger in a medium saucepan filled with salted water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer for 15 minutes until parsnips are completely tender. Drain well.

3. 03

   Transfer the hot parsnips to a high-speed blender. Add the heavy cream, 2 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter, and a pinch of salt. Blend on high until completely silky and velvety. Pass through a fine-mesh chinois for ultimate smoothness; keep warm.

4. 04

   Using a sharp knife, cross-hatch score the skin of the duck breasts without cutting into the meat. Season generously with kosher salt and white pepper.

5. 05

   Place duck breasts skin-side down in a cold stainless steel pan. Set heat to medium-low to slowly render the fat, about 10-12 minutes, until the skin turns deep golden and ultra-crisp. Drain excess rendered fat.

6. 06

   Flip duck breasts flesh-side down and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until internal temperature reaches 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare. Remove duck to a cutting board to rest for 8-10 minutes.

7. 07

   In the same pan over medium heat, discard remaining fat leaving 1 teaspoon. Deglaze with Shaoxing rice wine, scraping up any fond. Add the stock, mashed black garlic paste, toasted Sichuan peppercorns, and white miso paste.

8. 08

   Simmer the sauce for 4-5 minutes until reduced by half and thickened to a glossy jus consistency. Remove from heat and mount with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold butter, whisking continuously until emulsified.

9. 09

   To plate: Swipe a generous curve of the silky ginger-parsnip purée across warm plates. Slice each rested duck breast fan-wise and rest against the purée. Spoon the glossy black garlic Sichuan reduction around the plate, garnish with drained pickled Asian pear, micro shiso, and a touch of flaky sea salt.