Pan-Seared Duck Breast with...Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Black Plum Mole

Name: Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Black Plum Mole
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Modern Mexican
Ingredients: 4 Pekin duck breasts (approx. 6 oz each), skin scored in a crosshatch pattern; 3 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded; 2 dried pasilla chilies, stemmed and seeded; 4 ripe black plums, pitted and quartered; 1/2 large white onion, peeled; 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled; 1-inch piece of Mexican canela (cinnamon stick); 2 whole cloves; 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock, warm; 1.5 oz high-quality 70% dark Mexican chocolate, chopped; 1 tbsp duck fat or lard; 1 tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted; 1/4 cup micro cilantro, for garnish; Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

🍴

Cuisine

Modern Mexican

👥

Servings

⏱

Prep Time

45 mins

🍳

Cook Time

35 mins

⭐

Difficulty

Hard

A sophisticated modern Mexican masterpiece featuring crispy-skinned duck breast served over a rich, velvety, artisanal mole crafted from charred black plums, warm spices, and dark Oaxacan chocolate.

Modern MexicanHard

Ingredients

•4 Pekin duck breasts (approx. 6 oz each), skin scored in a crosshatch pattern

•3 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded

•2 dried pasilla chilies, stemmed and seeded

•4 ripe black plums, pitted and quartered

•1/2 large white onion, peeled

•4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

•1-inch piece of Mexican canela (cinnamon stick)

•2 whole cloves

•2 cups low-sodium chicken stock, warm

•1.5 oz high-quality 70% dark Mexican chocolate, chopped

•1 tbsp duck fat or lard

•1 tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted

•1/4 cup micro cilantro, for garnish

•Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

01
In a dry comal or heavy cast-iron skillet over medium heat, toast the dried ancho and pasilla chilies for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not burnt. Transfer them to a bowl of hot water and let soak for 15 minutes to rehydrate.
02
In the same dry skillet, char the quartered plums, onion, and unpeeled garlic cloves until they develop deep, blackened spots. Remove the garlic skins once charred and soft.
03
Toast the canela and whole cloves in the skillet for 30 seconds. Transfer the toasted spices, charred plums, onion, peeled garlic, rehydrated chilies (discarding soaking water), and 1 cup of chicken stock to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until completely smooth.
04
Pass the blended plum-chili puree through a fine-mesh chinois sieve into a clean bowl to ensure a velvety, Michelin-star texture.
05
Heat 1 tablespoon of duck fat in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Pour in the strained puree and simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Lower the heat, add the remaining chicken stock and dark chocolate, and simmer gently for 20 minutes until the mole is thick and glossy. Season with kosher salt to taste.
06
Season the scored duck breasts generously with kosher salt. Place them skin-side down in a cold, dry cast-iron skillet. Turn the heat to medium-low to slowly render the fat. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the skin is golden-brown and extremely crisp, draining excess fat as it pools.
07
Flip the duck breasts and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes for medium-rare (an internal temperature of 135°F / 57°C). Remove from heat and let rest on a cutting board for 8 minutes before slicing.
08
To plate, spoon a generous pool of the warm black plum mole onto the center of each plate. Slice the duck breasts on a bias and fan them beautifully over the mole. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and micro cilantro.

Cooking Reviews

“

The Caprese Salad Skewers recipe was a triumph! I prepared them for a party's barbecue and everyone loved them. The basil was so aromatic, the mozzarella so fresh, and the skewers were the perfect size and an appropriate.

Michael Burns

July 1, 2023