Chef Chris Gama
Clementine Café
Chef Chris has been pushing menu boundaries while helming Clementine Café, the Exchange District’s all-day breakfast hot spot. Adding inventive flavour combinations and elegant twists, he bowls over breakfast-goers by adding duck confit to traditional Mexican chilequiles. Yogurt panna cotta gets seasonally tweaked with sweet probiotics, vegetation, and a punch of Omega-3s.
Duck Chilequiles
A traditional Mexican breakfast is delicately elevated with tender duck confit.
INGREDIENTS
Duck Confit
6 duck legs, shredded
2 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 cups rendered duck fat (see method below)
Sauce Colorado
22 Ancho chiles, seeded
2 Guajillo chiles, seeded
1/2 chipotle chile
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 white onion, diced
1 tsp Mexican oregano
1 tsp cumin, ground
1 tsp coriander, ground
1 Tbsp salt
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes
Chilequiles
2 avocados, peeled/sliced
1/2 cup sour cream
2 medium tomatillos, diced
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced
6 eggs (Nature’s Farm)
1 1/2 cups cilantro leaves
6 corn tortillas (El Izalco Market)
2 Tbsp green onion, sliced
1/4 cup pickled red onion
1 lime, juiced
Salt to taste
METHOD
Duck Confit
1. Mix salt, sugar, zest and pepper. Coat the 6 duck legs evenly in the mixture. Refrigerate for 8-36 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 250˚F and warm duck fat in an ovenproof dish.
3. Remove duck legs from fridge and lightly rinse. Place in duck fat and simmer. Cover dish and place in the oven. Cook for 3 hours, or until completely tender.
4. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. Place in fridge overnight.
5. Warm duck legs and pull meat into bite sized pieces.
Sauce Colorado
1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add garlic and onions, toasting until black in spots (approximately 3 minutes).
2. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until the chiles are soft (approximately 45 minutes). Blend on high speed until smooth.
Chilequiles
1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Cut corn tortillas into wedges. Spread onto baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for approximately 6 minutes. Use tongs to turn over.
2. Sprinkle with salt and bake for another 6 to 9 minutes, until golden.
3. Combine sauce Colorado and shredded duck in a large, wide pan on medium heat. Warm the duck through, adding tortilla chips. Simmer for 45 seconds.
4. Add sliced green onion and juice of lime juice. Salt to taste.
5. Divide evenly among 6 plates. Top each with lettuce, tomatillo, avocado slices, sour cream, jalapeño, fried egg, pickled red onion and cilantro. Serve immediately.
Rendering Duck Fat
1. Carefully remove all of the skin and fat from the duck, cutting close to, but avoiding the meat. Once removed, cut into approximately 1”x1”chunks.
2. Place the cut skin into a heavy-bottomed stockpot or large Dutch oven. Pour ¾ cup of water over the skin. Simmer over medium-low heat, turning the bits of skin occasionally, until the water has evaporated, and the skin has fully crisped and released its fat. This process should take about an hour. Note: As the fat renders and the water evaporates, the mixture may hiss or spatter. This is normal.
3. With a slotted spoon remove the cracklings and drain in a bowl lined with paper toweling. Sprinkle with sea salt while warm. Duck cracklings can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, although they are best served fresh.
4. Allow the liquid fat to cool slightly, then strain into clean, sealable containers using a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. Store the duck fat covered in the refrigerator for up to 6 months or in the freezer for a year.
Yield 6 servings