CRISPY SKIN MAPLE LEAF DUCK with Dark chocolate curry, braised beluga lentils, pomegranate and citrus

Recipe Hannah Flora-Mihajlovic, Executive Sous Chef at Mizner Country Club, Delray Beach, Florida, USA
Image courtesy Mizner Country Club

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Yields 2-4

Ingredients

Duck

• 2 Maple Leaf Duck Breasts
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 6 leaves Sage (fresh)
• 2 sprigs Thyme (fresh)
• Orange Zest

Lentils

• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil        
• 2 Tablespoons Garlic (minced)    
• 2 Shallots (minced)

• 2 sprigs Rosemary (fresh)
• 2 sprigs Thyme (fresh)
• 1 cup Beluga Lentils
• 1 cup Vegetable Stock

Chocolate Sauce

• 1 cup Dark Chocolate 60% bittersweet
• 3 Tablespoons Yellow Curry Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Garam Marsala  

Garnish

• 1 Orange  (segmented)
• 1 Pomegranate (seeded)
• Sunflower Sprouts 

Preparation

Duck

Place duck breasts on parchment, freeze for 15 minutes.

Once semi frozen, score the skin with a hot pan, skin side down, render the fat for 3 minutes depending on thickness of fat.

Flip and sear the other side of duck breast for 1 minute.

Set your sous vide for 58°C/ 136°F

Place the seared duck breast in vacuum bag with 1 Tablespoon butter, fresh sage, orange zest and thyme.

Seal bag tight and place into the sous vide.

Cooking time of duck: 1.5 hours

Remove from vacuum bag, sear skin second time to achieve crispiness.

Cut and portion.
 
Lentils

In small sauce pot with the olive oil, sweat the shallots and garlic. Add the thyme and rosemary and toast until the herbs release spices , about 1 minute.

Add the lentils and stir until coated in aromats.

Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil.

Reduce to simmer and cook for 14 minutes or until tender.
 
Chocolate Sauce

With a sauce pot on low heat, melt dark chocolate chips until smooth.

Stir in curry spices, garam marsala and finsh with salt.

Assembly

Cut the duck breasts in half at a bias. Set aside.

Using a paint brush, brush chocolate sauce onto the serving plate.

Using the chocolate sauce as your guide, vertically place the two pieces of duck, one face up, one on the side.

Spoon small piles of lentils and pomegranate seeds around duck.

Garnish with the orange segments and sunflower sprouts.