Duck Breast, Arugula, Blueberries, Smoked Almonds, Oats, Huckleberry-Lavender Sauce

4 duck breasts, excess fat and silverskin trimmed, tenderloins removed

3 cups steel cut oats

Almond flour

Cocoa nibs

1 pound of butter

4 cups arugula

1 cup blueberries

20 whole peeled almonds

4 cups huckleberry, fresh or frozen

1 cup dried lavender

5 sprigs of thyme

1 lemon

Extra virgin olive oil

Finely ground sea salt

Flaky finishing salt such as Maldon or Meadow Flake

                                                                                

For the Duck Breast:

Prepare a 5% brine – 1 liter of water and 50g of kosker salt – and submerge the breasts completely. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours while you prepare the oats, sauce, and nuts.

For the Oats:

Heat the butter on high in a stainless steel pot, once melted stir in the oats and continue to cook on medium-high, stirring often, until the butter browns and the oats are cooked through. They should be golden brown and have a roasted nutty character from the brown butter. Remove to a coffee filter or cheesecloth set in a strainer to drain off the excess butter and cool. While cooling toast a few tablespoons of almond flour on a cookie sheet in the oven until light golden brown and grind a few tablespoons of cocoa nibs in a spice/coffee grinder. Mix the oats, almond flour, and cocoa nibs together in a bowl and season with salt.

For the Sauce:

In a stainless steel pot bring the berries to a simmer, if using frozen no extra water is necessary, if fresh, a few tablespoons of water might be needed. Continue to cook the berries down, they will release a fair amount of juice which needs to be concentrated. Meanwhile, in another pot, bring the lavender and thyme with enough water to fully submerge, up to a boil. Turn of the heat and let the herbs infuse the water. Puree the cooked berries in a blender and put through a tamis or fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds. You should have a thick huckleberry puree. Use the strained lavender water to adjust the consistency back to a smooth sauce, careful not to use too much or the sauce will be too “perfumey”

Smoke the almonds gently using any method available to you, if unable, just toast them in the oven with a little olive oil and salt.

To cook the Duck:

Use two large flat cast iron pans or black/French steel pans that will hold two breasts without overcrowding. Dry the breasts very well on paper towel and season both sides with sea salt. Place them, two to a pan, skin side down into the cold pans and place on low heat. As the fat renders out you can slowly turn the heat up to medium. Take your time, you want to render as much fat as possible and achieve a golden brown crispy skin. Use the hot rendered fat to baste the flesh. Cook to medium rare or medium depending on preference and remove to a plate to rest for at least five minutes.

To Plate:

Dress the arugula and blueberries with lemon juice and olive oil.

Slice each breast into two slices.

Sauce the plates with the huckleberry/lavender sauce.

Place the duck slices on each plate and garnish with finishing salt.

Mound the arugula and blueberries next to and on top of the duck.

Garnish with the almonds and any more blueberries if desired.

Spoon oats over the the duck and arugula.