Duck Pastrami with Grain Mustard Sauce, Brussels Sprouts & Sweet Potatoes

Recipe by Derin Moore CMC, Culinary Director and Executive Chef at Grey Oaks Country Club, Naples, Florida, USA
Image by Diana DeLucia

Yield: Four Portions

Ingredients

Duck Pastrami                                                    

• 4, 6-ounce Moulard or Peking Duck Breast   
• 1 quart Honey Brine (recipe follows) 
• 1/2 cup Pomegranate Molasses                
• 1/2 cup Pastrami Spice (recipe follows)
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Honey Brine

• 1 quart Water
• 1/2 ounce Pink Curing Salt
• 3 ounces Honey
• 3 ounces Kosher Salt
• 3 ea. Juniper Berry    
• 3 sprigs Thyme (fresh)
• 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
• 2 ea. Star Anise
• 1 ea. Bay Leaf
• 2 teaspoons Ginger (peeled and grated)

Pastrami Spice

• 2 Tablespoons Peppercorns (coarse cracked)
• 2 Tablespoons Coriander (coarse cracked)
• 1 Tablespoon Pink Peppercorns
• 1 Tablespoon Italian Parsley (coarse chopped)

Sweet Potato Purée

• 2 ea. Sweet Potatoes
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 Tablespoon Honey
• 1/2 teaspoon Cloves (ground)
• 1/2 teaspoon Juniper Berries (ground)
• 1/2 teaspoon Star Anise (ground)
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Grain Mustard Sauce

• 2 Tablespoons Shallots (minced)
• 1 teaspoon Garlic (minced)   
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1/2 cup Dry Sherry Wine
• 2 cups Fortified Chicken Stock 
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch (dissolved with water)
• 1 Tablespoon Whole Grain Mustard
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)   ​

Brussels Sprouts

• 2 cups Brussels Sprouts (chiffonade)
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Garlic (minced)
• 2 Tablespoons Onion (minced)
• 2 Tablespoons Celery (minced)                 
• 2 Tablespoons Carrots (minced)
• 1 teaspoon Thyme (fresh, minced)
• 1 teaspoon Caraway Seed (coarse ground)
• 1/2 cup Toasted Walnuts
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Garnish

• 8 ea. Brussels Sprout Leaves (blanch and shock)
• 8 ea. Sweety Drop Peppers
• 2 Tablespoons Pickled Mustard Seeds (optional)
•  32 ea. Corn Shoot Leaves (optional)

Preparation 

Duck Pastrami 
Season with salt and pepper. On moderate heat in a Teflon pan, render the fat side down until golden brown. Lightly sear the flesh side. Brush with the molasses and pack with pastrami spice. Roast the duck at 375°F on a rack until an internal temperature of 145°F. Allow to rest for five minutes and slice lengthwise on on a diagonal.

Honey Brine
Combine all the ingredients and bring to a rolling boil. Chill. Remove a thin layer of fat from the duck breast. Lightly score with a cross-hatch pattern. Brine the duck breast in the honey brine and refrigerate for six hours. Pat dry.       

Pastrami Spice
Combine ingredients in a small bowl. 

Sweet Potato Purée
Roast the potatoes at 375°F until just fork tender. Remove from the skin and process the remaining ingredients to a fine purée.

Grain Mustard Sauce
Sweat the garlic and shallots in butter without color. Reduce the wine by half. Add the stock and cream. Reduce to desired flavor. Thicken to nape consistency with the starch—temper in the mustards and season to taste.

Brussels Sprouts
Blanch the Brussels sprouts in boiling salted water and then shock in ice water. Sweat the vegetables in olive oil until tender. Combine remaining ingredients and just warm through. Toss in walnuts before service.

Assembly

Pipe the sweet potato border on two sides of the plate with a fine pastry tip. Flood the plate with the mustard sauce. Place the sliced breast. Place the Brussels sprouts in between the two breasts. Place the garnish on either end of the plate.
 
Wine Pairing 

2012 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Hermitage, Rhône Valley, France
~Victor Valdivia, Wine Director