Episode 303: Happy Holidays: Tarik's Harissa Rubbed Duck Breast with Black Currant Reduction & Citrus Carrot Puree

Challenge: Happy Holidays

Dish: Tarik's Harissa Rubbed Duck Breast with Black Currant Reduction & Citrus Carrot Puree

Ingredients:
1 ea duck breast
3-4 tbsp harissa (wet rub)
¼ cup black currants
3 cups veal stock
5 threads saffron
½ orange
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 ea duck neck bone
1 knob butter
2 ea carrots, jumbo, large dice
1/3 cup heavy cream
2-3 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
Juice of orange

Directions:

Take a pairing knife and tuxedo/crisscross score the skin side of the breast. Next, season with salt and rub the breast with harissa. Set aside.

Get a small pot and add the veal stock and duck neck, put on medium heat and allow to simmer.

Wash and peel, then dice the carrots and place in a small pot with enough cold water to cover. Add 1 tsp salt, put a lid on it, and place on stove medium heat.

Get a medium-large non stick pan and begin warming it on medium heat. Take your duck breast and place the duck skin side down. You will be rendering the fat out as well as crisping the skin. This will take at least 10-12 minutes. As your duck is
rendering, use a small metal spoon and baste the butter side of the duck. Once done, set aside on a plate with a paper towel, skin side up.

Place one half of a orange in that pan and place on low heat. Taste the reduction, if some of the duck flavor was released, remove the neck, then add saffron and currants. Allow this to come down to make a rich sauce. Finish with a knob of butter and a squeeze of orange juice. Set aside. Be sure to taste.

For the carrots, once they are cooked through, place in a blender with the warm heavy cream, paprika, coriander. Blend until very smooth, taste for salt and finish with the juice of the orange in the duck pan. 

Slice your duck thinly, place puree on the bottom of the plate, then the sliced duck and top with the currant reduction and chopped parsley.