Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 1/2 pounds boneless duck breasts, with skin
10 dried chiles de arbol
6 ounces dried Bing cherries
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
5 cloves garlic, minced, divided
1/2 cup diced onion
6 tomatillos, husks removed, coarsely chopped
8 small corn tortillas
Finely chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Directions
Rub 1 teaspoon of the salt into duck breasts, place them in a large sealable plastic bag and refrigerate for 1 hour while you make sauce.
Soak chiles de arbol and dried cherries in 2 cups boiling water for about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid. In a food processor, combine drained chiles and cherries with 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 cloves minced garlic.
Process to a thick paste, adding a little reserved liquid to help combine and adjust consistency. Set aside. This makes about 1 cup compote.
In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, place remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, onions and remaining 3 cloves minced garlic. Sauté until onions just start to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add tomatillos and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Cover and continue to cook about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatillos are tender. Remove and cool slightly for a few minutes.
In a food processor, combine tomatillo mixture with 1/4 cup chile-cherry paste. Set aside. This makes about 1 1/2 cups sauce.
Place duck breasts, skin side down, into a cold, cast-iron skillet. Turn heat to medium-high and cook duck about 10 minutes, or until skin is golden-brown and crispy and fat has rendered off. (Turn heat down to medium after a few minutes and watch to make sure duck doesn’t burn. Adjust heat if necessary so that it cooks evenly.) Turn duck over and cook for 1 minute to medium-rare; otherwise, continue cooking until desired doneness is achieved. Remove breasts to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice very thinly on the diagonal.
Heat a skillet over medium heat and warm tortillas. Place 2 to a plate and divide sliced duck among tortillas. Spoon 1 tablespoon or so of tomatillo sauce over duck and add 1/2 teaspoon of chile-cherry compote on top, or to taste.
Sprinkle the top with fresh chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.
Each serving: 565 calories; 37 grams protein; 42 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams fiber; 27 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 174 milligrams cholesterol; 464 milligrams sodium.
