Duck Fillet with Arabica Coffee Sauce

The bold and brooding coffee sauce in this gourmet recipe matches the intense flavor of fried duck fillets. Endives braised in butter add a refreshing bite to the rich dish for an unforgettable meal. This recipe by Chef Jean Michel Lorain is a unique dish and a rare culinary experience. Make this for a spectacular entrée to a fabulous dinner party or special lunch. Pair it with a red wine like Bandol Rouge for a complete gourmet experience.

The duck is already quite flavorful on its own and requires only little to no seasoning. In this recipe, it is prepared as simply as possible, pan-fried until nicely golden and the grease from the fat leaks out of the meat. Because duck is very fatty, it cooks up tender and moist but care should still be taken not to overcook it or the meat will become tough and dry. The duck fillets are simply seasoned with salt and pepper since the coffee sauce is already quite flavorful. This recipe is from one of the best sites for recipes, Gourmandia.ca

To make the coffee gravy, you need duck juice prepared beforehand. This comes from the drippings of roasted duck or from duck broth. Duck juice is sometimes available in specialty stores and delis. You can also collect duck juice form roasting a whole duck. Choose high quality Arabica coffee beans with a strong aroma. Pleasantly bitter and earthy, Arabica coffee adds complexity and depth to the duck sauce. It also stimulates the senses for a lively dinner or lunch party. The lovely aroma from the coffee sauce is enough to perk up your senses and keep your guests excited. Lemon juice is added to the sauce to give it zest and a bright flavor Lemon rind is used to garnish the dish for a nice color and added tang. The pleasantly bitter, savory, aromatic, and zesty flavors go excellently with the wild and fatty taste of duck. Caramelized endives add a sweet touch and a crisp texture.

Ingredients

8 duck fillets (2 per person)
peanut oil
2 lemons
sugar, salt
8 endives
3/4 cup duck gravy
10 Arabica coffee beans
butter
pepper

1. Peel the lemons and slice the peeled skin into julienne then boil it in water. Drain the julienne peel and soak in cool water, adding some sugar and salt to remove some of its bitterness. Drain.

2. Season the duck filets with salt and pepper. Heat peanut oil in a frying pan. Place the duck filet to cook on the skin sides first, long enough for them to drip off the fat. Sear the meat side for a bit to seal the moisture and turn it back on the skin side for the final cooking. Press the meat lightly to check if it is cooked. The more resistance, the rawer it is. Meat that’s too hard is overcooked, which is no good. When done, arrange on a serving dish.

3. Remove the oil from the pan and add water and duck gravy. Simmer and add Arabica coffee beans, which will infuse while the sauce is reducing and add color and a subtle aroma. Add a spoonful of lemon juice to finish.

4. Slice the chicory in two. Place butter in the frying pan, add a little sugar, braise the chicory. Caramelize very gently. Season with some salt and pepper. It should turn a nice golden brown when ready.

5. Place caramelized chicory beside the duck filets, pour coffee sauce and garnish with lemon peel. Serve.