Duck Confit Enmolada

Tempura-Fried Duck Roulade, Mole Negro, Macerated Figs, Cilantro, Plantain Tortillas

Chef Emmanuel Chavez of Tatemó | Houston, TX

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Adapted by StarChefs  |  September 2025  |  Photo: Will Blunt

INGREDIENTS

Duck Cure:
Yield: 8 servings
3 pounds kosher salt
3 pounds granulated sugar
10 Pasilla Mixe chiles, stemmed
Avocado leaves
Dried hoja santa leaves

Duck Confit:
Yield: 8 servings
30 duck breasts
Duck fat
2 white onions, halved 
1 head garlic, halved
4 avocado leaves
2 bottles Mexican Coke
Juice of 2 oranges

Duck Roulade:
Yield: 8 servings
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lime
Zest of 1 lemon
1 white onion, brunoised
250 grams pitted and minced green Castelvetrano olives

Macerated Figs:
Yield: 10 figs
10 figs, sliced ½-centimeter thick
15 grams brown sugar
30 grams olive oil

Plantain Tortillas:
Yield: 38 tortillas
6 unripe plantains, cut into ½-inch-thick slices
3 pieces anise seed
1 stick cinnamon
350 grams granulated sugar

Birria Spice:
Yield: 1 pint
20 grams mushroom powder
20 grams ground cumin
20 grams ground rosemary
15 grams ground coriander
10 whole black peppercorns, ground
7 grams ground cloves
5 grams ground allspice
5 grams ground thyme

Yogurt Marinade:
Yield: 2 pints
200 grams plain yogurt
40 grams grapeseed oil
9 grams Worcestershire sauce
5 grams mushroom powder
2 grams kosher salt
4 grams honey
3 grams onion powder

Tempura Batter:
Yield: 1 pint
120 grams rice flour
40 grams masa flour
145 grams soda water

Mole Negro:
Yield: 4 pints
10 cloves garlic, charred
6 corn tortillas, charred
3 white onions, charred
5 Pasilla mixe chiles, charred
2 chiles de árbol, charred
1 habanero chile, charred
1 mulatto chile, charred
135 grams walnuts
10 grams sesame seeds
20 pieces toasted allspice, toasted
10 grams toasted cloves
10 grams toasted cumin seeds
Pilloncillo sugar
Chive vinegar
Duck stock

To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
Oil for frying
Cilantro

METHOD

For the Duck Cure:
In a Vitamix Commercial blender, add salt, sugar, chiles, a handful avocado leaves, and a handful hoja santa. Blend until a fine powder is achieved. Set aside.

For the Duck Confit:
In a nonreactive container, add duck. Coat with Duck Cure. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, rinse duck. Transfer to a work surface and pat dry. Set aside. In a pot over medium heat, sear duck skin-side-down until golden brown. Cover with duck fat until submerged. Stir in remaining ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer 3 hours. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to an airtight container. Shred meat and refrigerate overnight.

For the Duck Roulade:
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and 2 pounds Duck Confit. Set aside. On a work surface, lay out plastic wrap. Place 250 grams Duck Confit mixture on top of plastic. Roll into logs. Repeat with remaining mixture. Slice each roulade into 8 pieces. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.

For the Macerated Figs:
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

For the Plantain Tortillas:
In a pot over medium-high heat, add all ingredients and 3 quarts water. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer 20 minutes. Strain, reserving plantains. Transfer plantains to a Vitamix Commercial blender and purée until smooth. Let cool. Portion mixture into 35-gram balls. Using a tortilla press, add mixture and flatten into tortillas. Heat and prepare a comal. Cook tortillas on both sides until desired color is achieved. Reserve.

For the Birria Spice:
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Transfer to an airtight container and reserve.

For the Yogurt Marinade:
In a Vitamix Commercial blender, add all ingredients and 5 grams Birria Spice. Blend until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.

For the Tempura Batter:
In a mixing bowl, combine flours. Set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, combine soda water and 70 grams flour. Set aside.

For the Mole Negro:
In a nonreactive container, add garlic, tortillas, onions, chiles, nuts, seeds, and spices. Cover with enough water to hydrate mixture. Transfer to a Vitamix Commercial blender. Purée until smooth. Transfer mixture to a pot over medium heat. Cook until liquid has evaporated. Season with sugar, vinegar, and stock. Continue cooking until desired consistency and flavor is achieved. Reduce heat and keep warm.

To Assemble and Serve:
In a fryer, heat oil to 350°F. Add 2 pieces Duck Roulade to Tempura Batter and dredge to evenly coat. Add battered Duck Roulade to hot oil and fry until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let drain. Spoon desired amount Mole Negro in the center of a serving plate. Top with 1 dollop Yogurt Marinade, 1 piece fried Duck Roulade, and 2 slices Macerated Figs. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with Plantain Tortillas.

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