Duck with Pecan Pipián
Ground nuts or seeds are the singular ingredient in the sauces known as pipiáns, which are sort of like Southwestern pestos. Peanuts, native to South America, were first used, as were pumpkin seeds, but regionally, cooks would incorporate what was available—in the American Southwest, for instance, it could be pine nuts or pecans, or wild hickory nuts in other parts of the country. The richness of the duck is perfectly complemented by this rich, complex sauce that I created to use New Mexico pecans, a wonderful local crop. It’s very versatile, a great condiment for grilled satay skewers or as a sandwich spread or a party dip. It’s much easier to prepare than it sounds—a whirl in a blender, then a quick turn in a skillet to marry the flavors.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 10 tacos
Ingredients
Pecan-Chile Sauce
Preparation
Step 1
To prepare the duck breasts, let the breasts sit on a plate covered with paper towels to absorb any moisture (the breasts need to be dry for the seasonings to stick). In a small bowl, combine the chile powder, salt, and sugar. Sprinkle the seasoning on both sides of the duck breasts and let sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
Step 2
To prepare the sauce, in a large, heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat and sauté the onion until it begins to caramelize, 5 to 6 minutes; remove from the heat. In the jar of a blender, puree the sautéed onion, the chiles, garlic, tomatoes, canela, sugar, allspice, salt, cumin seed, chipotle puree, and the 1/2 cup water until smooth.
Step 3
In the same skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over high heat until almost smoking. Stir in the sauce and the ground pecans (tilt the pan away from you when you add the sauce as it may spatter) and cook, stirring continuously, until thickened and it coats a wooden spoon well (about the consistency of thick marinara sauce), no more than 2 minutes. The sauce will thicken quickly; do not let it scorch. Remove sauce from the heat and taste to check seasonings. Keep warm until the duck is cooked and all is ready to serve.
Step 4
To cook the duck, in a cast-iron skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over low to medium heat. Sear the duck breasts, skin side down, until the skin is golden brown and crispy, and all fat has been rendered, about 10 minutes. Turn the breasts over and cook to medium doneness (145°F), or when the meat retains a line of pink in the center of each breast, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer the breasts to a cutting board, and let them sit about 4 minutes. Thinly slice the duck breasts, with skin still attached.
Step 5
To serve, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter. Divide the duck and a generous amount of sauce equally between the tortillas and top with salsa and sprinkle with pine nuts. Grab, fold, and eat right away. Or build your own taco: lay a tortilla, open face, in one hand. Spoon on some filling, top with salsa and pine nuts, and eat right away.
