A refined twist on traditional carnitas — slow-cooked duck legs with a rich Oaxacan-style mole negro, finished with a dusting of cocoa nibs for bitterness and texture.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- Duck Carnitas (see sub-recipe)
- Mole Negro (see sub-recipe)
- Cocoa Nib Dust (see sub-recipe)
- Micro cilantro (for garnish)
- 1 tsp – Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
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Steps:
- Spoon a layer of warm mole negro onto each plate.
- Top with crisped duck carnitas.
- Dust lightly with cocoa nib mixture for aroma and texture.
- Garnish with micro cilantro and sesame seeds.
Duck Carnitas
Ingredients:
- 4 – Duck legs (skin-on)
- 250 g – Duck fat or lard
- 100 mL – Orange juice
- 3 – Garlic cloves (smashed)
- 2 – Bay leaves
- to taste – Salt
- to taste – Black pepper
Steps:
- Season duck legs generously with salt and pepper.
- In a heavy pan, melt duck fat and add garlic and bay leaves.
- Add duck legs and cook gently over low heat or in oven at 140°C (285°F) for 2–3 hours until and internal temperature of 63°C (145°F).
- Remove duck and shred meat into bite-sized pieces.
- Crisp shredded duck in a hot skillet for 2–3 minutes before plating.
Mole Negro
Ingredients:
- 2 – Dried ancho chiles (stemmed and seeded)
- 2 – Dried pasilla chiles (stemmed and seeded)
- 1 small – Onion (chopped)
- 3 – Garlic cloves (peeled)
- 1 medium – Tomato (roasted)
- 30 g – Almonds (toasted)
- 1 tbsp – Sesame seeds (toasted)
- 1 tbsp – Raisins
- 1 small – Tortilla (toasted until dark)
- 20 g – Mexican chocolate or dark chocolate
- 400 mL – Chicken stock
- 1 small – Cinnamon stick
- to taste – Salt
Steps:
- Toast chiles lightly, then soak in hot water until softened.
- Sauté onion, garlic, tomato, almonds, sesame seeds, raisins, and tortilla until fragrant and browned.
- Blend all with softened chiles, cinnamon, and enough stock to form a smooth paste.
- Simmer sauce gently for 20–30 minutes, adding chocolate at the end to melt and enrich flavor.
- Strain through a fine mesh for a silky consistency. Season with salt.
Cocoa Nib Dust
Ingredients:
- 10 g – Cocoa nibs (finely ground)
- 1 pinch – Sea salt flakes
Steps:
- Grind cocoa nibs to a fine powder using a food processor.
- Mix lightly with sea salt flakes to enhance contrast.
More Info
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