Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Velvet Cauliflower Purée and Blackberry-Thyme Gastrique

Ingredients

• •2 large skin-on duck breasts, room temperature
• •1 medium head cauliflower, broken into small florets
• •4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• •4 tablespoons unsalted grass-fed butter
• •1/4 cup heavy cream
• •1/2 cup fresh blackberries
• •2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• •1 tablespoon powdered erythritol or allulose
• •3 sprigs fresh thyme, plus extra for garnish
• •2 tablespoons toasted hazelnuts, crushed
• •Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Toss cauliflower florets and unpeeled garlic cloves with a light coating of duck fat or oil and salt, then roast on a baking sheet for 20-25 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized.
2. 2While vegetables roast, place butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling constantly until the milk solids turn a deep golden brown and smell nutty. Remove from heat immediately and set aside.
3. 3Score the duck breast skin in a tight crosshatch pattern using a sharp knife, being careful not to cut into the meat. Season both sides generously with sea salt and black pepper.
4. 4Place the duck breasts skin-side down in a cold, dry cast-iron skillet. Turn the heat to medium-low to slowly render the fat for approximately 10-12 minutes until the skin is deep golden and very crispy. Periodically pour off the excess fat into a jar.
5. 5Increase the heat to medium, flip the duck breasts, and cook the flesh side for 3-4 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 130F (55C) for medium-rare. Transfer the duck to a warm plate and let it rest for at least 8 minutes before slicing.
6. 6Squeeze the roasted garlic out of its skins into a high-speed blender. Add the roasted cauliflower, the browned butter, and the heavy cream. Blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth and velvet-like. Adjust seasoning with salt.
7. 7In the same skillet used for the duck, wiped of all but a thin film of fat, add the blackberries, apple cider vinegar, sweetener, and thyme sprigs. Simmer over medium heat, mashing the berries slightly with a spoon, until the liquid reduces to a thick, syrupy gastrique.
8. 8To plate, spread a generous amount of the cauliflower purée on each plate. Slice the rested duck breasts against the grain and fan them over the purée. Spoon the blackberry gastrique over the meat and garnish with the crushed toasted hazelnuts and fresh thyme leaves.