Chef Mark Miller, Consultant, Sante Fe, NM
Cinnamon Brine:
| 2 quarts |
cold water |
4 T. |
sugar |
1 ½ T. |
Kosher Salt |
12 cloves |
garlic, lightly smashed |
2 T. |
crushed red chile flakes |
2 oz. |
Mexican Cannela sticks, crushed |
2 |
dried bay leaves |
1 tsp. |
dried whole thyme |
1 T. |
fresh ground black pepper |
1 T. |
fennel seed, ground |
1 tsp. |
cumin seed, ground |
2 T. |
coriander seeds, lightly ground |
4 |
whole star anise, ground |
1 tsp. |
allspice dried, ground |
2 drops |
cinnamon oil (optional, you can find this at a whole foods or another natural grocery) |
½ tsp. |
liquid smoke |
Put the cold water into a stainless ,or glass tall dish, add cold water, salt and sugar, whisk to dissolve both ,add the rest of ingredients ,whole ingredients first and ground ingredients second(do not grind the spices to fine, rough grind like the consistency of kosher salt.
Place the duck breasts in the brine, the brine should cover them, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, maximum 48 hours, 36 is optimum
Drain the brine through a fine sieve and use this brining liquid to clean the racks of any spices that are adhering. DO NOT WASH UNDER COLD WATER a you loose to much flavor
Let the duck come to room temperature, about 2 hours.
Sear the duck in a large sauté pan with a little oil, (be careful not to burn them as the sugar from the brine will caramelize and brown easily) and finish in a hot oven of about 450°F for 3-4 minutes. Serve with fig mole.
Chef Mark Miller, Consultant, Sante Fe, NM
| ¾ lb. |
dried black mission figs |
| 1-¼ c |
Tawny Port |
| 3 oz. |
Pasilla Negro’ seeded and stemmed |
| 2 oz. |
Ancho chiles seeded and stemmed |
| 1 T. |
vegetable oil |
| 1 |
yellow onion, small diced |
| 2 T. |
roasted garlic, made into a paste |
| 3 T. |
sherry vinegar |
| 1 qt. |
chicken stock |
| ½ c. |
raisins |
| 2 tsp. |
ground canella |
| 1/3 tsp. |
ground allspice |
| 1 |
fried roll |
| 1 ½ tsp |
salt |
| 3 T. |
brown sugar |
| 2 oz. |
bittersweet chocolate |
| 2 QTS. |
vegetable oil |
Steps: First, hydrate the dried figs in the port on the stove slowly over a low flame and reduce by half. Take the cleaned chiles and fry for 5 seconds in hot vegetable oil. Put on a paper towel to drain and get rid of all the excess oil. Caramelize the onions and the roasted garlic together for 10 minutes with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, add the rest of ingredients, except the chocolate and cook for 20 minutes. Blend very well and pass through a medium strainer with a rubber spatula. Refry in 1 tablespoon of hot vegetable oil. Take off the heat and add the chocolate, the sauce should be not too thick, add water if necessary. Serve with duck breast.
|
