Our Valentine's Dinner

Remember a few weeks ago, I made my very first dinuguan with chocolate? Well it's valentines season and wouldn't it be great to have chocolate and hot spices as part or the main ingredients in a recipe? And who better people to come up with such a combination but Ming Tsai to provide the asian flavored spice with Jaques Torres, the chocolate master.

Ming Tsai is such a nice guy, having met him last year. I almost missed him at the book signing when he was in New York, but it was one of those days that being late sometimes pays.. He was almost about to board his waiting car when he saw me clicking away with my camera, trying to get last glimpses of my favorite Asian chef. He finally beckoned me over and asked if I wanted a picture with him. What an understatement...Of COURSE !!! And so here I am.


Then I remembered watching one of his episodes about making something spicy and something aphrodisiac and something Asian. He called it “Asian Mole with Seared Duck Breast” . A mole is mexican and is usually made with a mixture of chocolate and spice. And that's what he just did.

So yesterday, even with the wind chill and icy weather, Mike and I took a walk and braved the cold just so we could buy some duck breast at the deli and ingredients to make our own version of the recipe. This was to be our Valentine Dinner.



Asian Mole with Seared Duck Breast

4 duck breasts
1 Tbsp. 5 spice powder
1 cup bittersweet chocolate melted
1 onion
2 inches ginger
2 pcs. hot red Pepper
macadamia nuts
¼ c dried cranberries
about ½ to 1 c. stock
salt and pepper to taste

Score and season duck with salt and pepper
place on a heavy metal skillet skin side down and sear on slow fire
as soon as the skin is brown, set aside (you will finish cooking as soon as the mole is done)
discard (but do not throw away) all the oil except 2 Tbsp. In a container.
sweat out the onion and ginger in the skillet, meanwhile put all the remaining ingredients in blender.
When onions have turned transparent, place onion and ginger on blender together with the others, and pulse to liquify.
Salt to taste. If it is too dry, add a little of the duck oil.

When mole is done, return a little of the oil back to the skillet and brown the raw side of the
duck to thoroughly cook about 5 minutes. Take from skillet and rest.
Spoon some sauce on plate. Cut the duck in slices, then lay it on the sauce. Garnish and serve.

I tell you, after Mike and I made out ---- this dish of course, what did you think,! It is a sure winner in every couple's dinner date. If I ordered this at a restaurant, it would have cost us an arm...and the wine with it would cost us a leg...But with this dish, and we both made it.....it was priceless..