DUCK AND MOLE CANNOLI
Serves 6
This dish is a mind trip. People see this sweet-looking cannoli and think it’s time for dessert. Instead, they get a savory course. It’s not even Italian—this is a savory Mexican cannoli. The cannoli shell is actually a crispy fried corn tortilla. Mouthwatering braised duck, spiced with ancho and guajillo chilis, fills the tortilla. Lime crema is piped onto the ends of the cannoli to resemble the creamy cannoli filling. Rich chocolate mole sauce is drizzled onto the plate, and the cannoli is garnished with cumin-scented candied pepitas. It’s so good, once people get over the shock of the totally unexpected flavors, they finish every bite. This is one of my favorite dishes we did at Moto—and if you try it, you’ll see why.
DUCK LEG BRAISE:
800 grams duck legs
Salt for seasoning
20 grams canola oil
150 grams onion, diced
25 grams dried ancho chili, stem and seeds removed
25 grams dried guajillo chili, stem and seeds removed
50 grams apple cider vinegar
1800 grams vegetable stock
MOLE SAUCE:
200 grams (about 2 small) tomatoes, whole
1 jalapeño
35 grams onion, whole
35 grams tomatillo, whole
10 grams canola oil
15 grams avocado
1 fresh corn tortilla
50 grams Mexican chocolate, finely chopped
10 grams dried ancho chili, stem and seeds removed
10 grams dried guajillo chili, stem and seeds removed
10 grams apple cider vinegar
CANDIED PEPITAS:
75 grams pepitas
15 grams agave nectar
20 grams sugar
5 grams toasted cumin seeds, ground
0.5 gram salt
LIME CREMA:
100 grams crème fraîche
0.5 gram salt
Grated zest of 1 lime
TORTILLA CANNOLI SHELLS:
Canola oil for frying
6 corn tortillas
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
Butcher’s twine
Cylindrical pipe or dowel for shaping tortillas
DUCK LEG BRAISE:
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Season the duck legs with salt. Put the oil in a large pot and set over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the duck legs until brown on each side, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the duck legs to a large plate and put the onion and chilis in the pot. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until tender and just starting to brown. Add the cider vinegar, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen the fond, bring to a simmer, and reduce the liquid by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile put the seared duck legs on a wire rack set in a large, shallow pot with a lid. Cover the legs with cheesecloth. Once the stock has come to a simmer, pour it over the duck legs. The cheesecloth will keep the vegetables separate from the meat. Use tongs to pull the cheesecloth up around the vegetables and then use butcher’s twine to tie it shut to form a large sachet sitting on top of the meat. Cover and put the pot in the oven to braise for 3 hours, until the duck is tender and falling off the bones. Remove the sachet and rack and let the duck cool to room temperature in the liquid. Pick the meat from the duck legs, discarding the skin and bones, and keep warm in the braising liquid until ready to plate.
MOLE SAUCE:
Set a wire rack over a burner set to medium heat or set a grill to medium heat. Put the whole tomatoes and jalapeño on the rack to char the skin for about 3 minutes, rotating them periodically to completely char. Remove from the heat and cut into quarters, removing the stem and seeds. Chop the jalapeño. Cut the onion in half, leaving the core attached, and remove the skin. Set both halves cut side down on the wire rack to char the outside for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and cut each half into 6 pieces. Set the tomatillos on the rack and char the outsides, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and cut into quarters.
Put the canola oil in a medium saucepot set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the tomatoes, jalapeño, onions, and tomatillos. Cook over medium heat for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables break down and form a rough sauce. Add the avocado and stir to incorporate. Tear up the tortilla and add the pieces to the pot. Cook for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tortilla breaks down and the mixture begins to resemble a paste. Transfer the sauce to a blender and add the chocolate and chilis. Puree on high for 1 minute, or until smooth. Add the vinegar and salt and puree for a few seconds. Strain the Mole Sauce through a fine-mesh sieve and keep warm in a saucepot until ready to plate.
CANDIED PEPITAS:
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Put the pepitas in a mixing bowl and add the agave nectar, mixing to coat the seeds. Add the sugar, cumin, and salt. Toss the seeds to coat with the seasoning and spread the seeds out on the prepared sheet pan. Roast for 15 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container until ready to plate.
LIME CREMA:
Put the crème fraîche, salt, and lime zest in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and reserve in the refrigerator until ready to plate.
TORTILLA CANNOLI SHELLS:
Preheat a deep fat fryer or pot of oil on the stove to 325°F.
Line a sheet pan with paper towels. Wrap the corn tortillas in a slightly damp towel. Microwave for 10 seconds to steam the tortillas and make them more pliable. Wrap 1 tortilla around a metal pipe or wooden dowel and put it in a frying rack to secure the tortilla. Fry for 1 minute, until golden brown and slightly puffed. Remove from the oil and transfer to the prepared pan. Cool to room temperature. Slide the tortilla shell off the pipe and reserve until ready to plate. Repeat with the 5 remaining tortillas.
TO FINISH:
Mix 180 grams of the braised duck meat with 60 grams of the Mole Sauce. Use a spoon to fill each Tortilla Cannoli Shell with 30 grams of seasoned duck meat, leaving a little bit of space for the Lime Crema at each end. Put 1 filled cannoli on each plate. Drizzle Mole Sauce over the top of each cannoli. Pipe 5 grams of Lime Crema into each end of the cannoli, covering the duck. Place 3 grams of Candied Pepitas on each end of the cannoli on top of the Lime Crema. Serve immediately.
