A masterclass in precision, featuring ultra-tender duck with a glass-like crackling skin, served with an aerated salsify foam and a molecularly clarified cherry reduction.

Passard's trick with duck skin is scoring it fine enough that the fat renders evenly without cutting into the meat underneath — the crackling comes from the pan sear after sous-vide, not the water bath. Passing the salsify purée through the tamis twice isn't fussiness; parsnip-family roots hold fibrous strings a single strain never fully catches, and this dish lives or dies on that purée being genuinely silk, not just smooth-ish.

2 plates

Ingredients:

• 2 large – Moulard Duck Breasts (approx. 14-16oz each)
• 1 lb – Fresh Salsify Roots (substitute parsnip if unavailable)
• 1 cup – Fresh Sweet Cherries (pitted and halved)
• 1/4 cup – Aged Balsamic Vinegar
• 3 ounces – Unsalted European Butter
• 1/2 cup – Heavy Cream
• 1 – Lemon (for acidulated water bath)
• 4 sprigs thyme, 2 cloves garlic – Aromatics (for the vacuum bag)
• to finish – Maldon Sea Salt

Speciality Items:

• Immersion Circulator
• Chamber Vacuum Sealer
• Whipping Siphon
• Chinoise or Tamis
• Plates perfect for this dish!
• Infrared Thermometer
• Cast Iron Grill Pan
• Aged Balsamic Vinegar
• Culinary Tweezers

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Steps:

1. Score the duck skin in a 2mm cross-hatch pattern and season with salt and white pepper.
2. Place duck in a vacuum bag with thyme and garlic; use the Chamber Vacuum Sealer on 'High' to compress the meat.
3. Set Immersion Circulator to 135.5°F (57.5°C) and cook the duck for 90 minutes.
4. Prepare the Salsify Silk: Peel roots into acidulated lemon water, boil in salted water until soft, and purée with butter and cream.
5. Pass the purée through a Chinoise or Tamis twice to ensure zero grit.
6. Load the purée into the Whipping Siphon, charge with 2 N2O cartridges, and keep warm in a 50°C water bath.
7. Simmer cherries, balsamic, and sugar until soft; blend and strain through a fine mesh sieve to create the glaze.
8. Remove duck from bag and pat dry. Use the Infrared Thermometer to ensure a cold pan is at room temperature before starting.
9. Place duck skin-side down on low-medium heat for 12 minutes to render fat into a crispy crackling.
10. Flip and sear the meat side for 60 seconds; let the duck rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
11. Plating: Use the Siphon to create a cloud of Salsify Silk. Slice duck on a bias and fan out with tweezers.
12. Drizzle the cherry reduction and finish with micro-herbs and Maldon salt.

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