Pato en Mole de...Pato en Mole de Higo y Amaranto

Succulent pan-seared duck breast served over a complex, velvet-smooth fig-based mole, finished with the nutty crunch of toasted amaranth.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Lightly toast the dried ancho and pasilla chiles in a dry pan until fragrant. Transfer them to a bowl with the dried figs and cover with hot stock. Let soak for 20 minutes.

2. 02

   In a clean pan, sauté the onion, garlic, and almonds in a teaspoon of duck fat until deeply caramelized and golden.

3. 03

   Place the soaked chiles, figs, soaking liquid, onion mixture, and cinnamon into a high-powered blender. Puree until exceptionally smooth. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh chinois into a heavy-bottomed saucepan.

4. 04

   Simmer the mole over low heat for 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. The sauce should thicken to a coat-the-back-of-a-spoon consistency. Stir in agave and season with salt to balance the heat and acidity.

5. 05

   Score the duck breast skin in a tight diamond pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. Season generously with salt.

6. 06

   Place duck breasts skin-side down in a cold cast-iron skillet. Turn heat to medium-low to slowly render the fat. Once the skin is deep golden and crispy (about 8-10 mins), flip and cook for 2-3 minutes for medium-rare.

7. 07

   Remove duck and let rest for at least 8 minutes. While resting, toast the amaranth seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until they pop and become white and nutty.

8. 08

   To serve, spread a vibrant circle of fig mole on each plate. Slice the rested duck breast and arrange over the sauce. Garnish with a heavy dusting of popped amaranth and a pinch of Maldon salt.