Sichuan & Guajillo Glazed...Sichuan & Guajillo Glazed Duck Breast with Fermented Chili Parsnip Cream

Crisp-skinned duck breast lacquered with a aromatic Sichuan peppercorn and guajillo chili glaze, balanced by a velvety fermented chili parsnip purée and a tart habanero-blackberry jus.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Rehydrate dried guajillo chiles in hot water for 15 minutes. Blend with ground Sichuan peppercorns, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of soak water until completely smooth. Strain glaze through a fine mesh sieve and reserve.

2. 02

   Boil diced parsnips in salted water until very tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and transfer to a high-speed blender. Add heavy cream, 30g unsalted butter, and fermented chili paste. Purée until silky and smooth; season with sea salt and keep warm.

3. 03

   In a small saucepan, sweat minced habanero in 15g butter over medium heat for 1 minute. Add blackberries and duck stock, reducing over medium-high heat until blackberries burst and sauce coats the back of a spoon (approx. 8 minutes). Strain through a fine sieve, pressing solids, and season with salt.

4. 04

   Score duck breast skin in a tight crosshatch pattern without cutting into flesh. Season heavily with kosher salt. Place skin-side down in a cold cast-iron skillet over low heat to slowly render fat for 10-12 minutes until ultra-crisp and golden brown.

5. 05

   Pour off excess duck fat. Flip breasts flesh-side down and brush the crisp skin generously with the Sichuan-guajillo glaze. Cook for 2-3 minutes until internal temperature reaches 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare. Remove from heat and rest on a warm tray for 5 minutes.

6. 06

   To serve, swoosh warm fermented chili parsnip cream across pre-heated plates. Slice duck breast thinly against the grain and arrange over purée. Drizzle charred habanero-blackberry jus around the plate and garnish with shaved raw Fresno chiles.