Duck Confit Tamal
Xnipec, Habanero Ash Salsa, Corn Husk
Chef Emmanuel Galvan of Café Bolita | Oakland, CA
Adapted by StarChefs | August 2026 | Photo: Alexander Zeren
INGREDIENTS
Habanero Ash Salsa:
500 grams white onions, sliced in ½-inch rings
50 grams habanero peppers, stemmed and seeded
250 milliliters grapeseed oil
200 grams garlic
15 grams kosher salt
20 milliliters apple cider vinegar
20 milliliters lime juice
Agave syrup
Compressed Cucumbers:
Serpent cucumber, peeled, seeded, sliced on a bias
Thinly sliced habanero peppers
Kosher salt
Lime juice
Black lime powder
Xnipec:
250 grams thinly sliced red onions
25 grams thinly sliced habanero peppers
100 milliliters sour orange juice
10 grams coarse Mexican salt
Duck Confit:
5 grams toasted ground black pepper
2 grams toasted chile de árbol
2 pods cardamom, toasted
1 pod star anise, toasted
1 clove, toasted
50 grams finely chopped scallions
30 grams minced garlic
20 grams kosher salt
10 grams piloncillo sugar
5 grams orange zest
50 milliliters orange juice
4 duck legs
1 liter duck fat
Duck Tamal:
80 grams cold duck fat
350 grams fresh masa (cacahauazintle, bolita, or tolonki varietals)
6 grams kosher salt
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 4 tamales
4 corn husks
Cilantro criollo
METHOD
For the Habanero Ash Salsa:
In a cast iron pan over medium-high heat, add onions and peppers. Char 8 minutes, or until until evenly blackened and tender. Remove from heat and set aside. In a small sauté pan over low heat, add oil and garlic. Cook 20 minutes, or until garlic is soft and translucent. Increase heat and cook until evenly browned. Set aside. In a Vitamix Commercial blender, combine onion-pepper mixture, browned garlic, and all remaining ingredients. Season with agave. Blend until smooth, adding water as needed to achieve desired consistency. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Compressed Cucumbers:
In a vacuum bag, season cucumbers with desired amount peppers, salt, lime juice and black lime powder. Seal to compress. Refrigerate.
For the Xnipec:
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Let sit 3 hours at room temperature. Transfer to a nonreactive container and reserve.
For the Duck Confit:
In a mortar and pestle, crush black pepper, chile de árbol, cardamom, star anise, and clove. Transfer to a mixing bowl with scallions, garlic, salt, sugar, orange zest, and orange juice. Mix until a paste-like consistency is achieved. Place duck legs on a clean work surface and generously rub with paste. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate 24 hours. The next day, heat oven to 225°F. Rinse duck and pat dry. Set aside. In a small Dutch oven, add duck fat. Place in oven and cook until melted. Add duck legs and cover with parchment paper cartouche, aluminum foil, and lid.Cook for 3½ hours, or until duck skin separates. Remove from oven and strain, reserving jus separately. On a work surface, shred duck meat and thinly slice duck skin. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Duck Tamal:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip duck fat 3 minutes on medium speed, or until soft peaks form. Working in 50-gram batches, add masa, mixing between each addition. Add salt and 50 grams reserved Duck Confit jus. Mix additional minute. Set aside.
To Assemble and Serve:
In a cast iron pan over medium heat, add shredded Duck Confit meat and sliced Duck Confit skin. Cook until evenly browned and crispy. Reduce heat and keep warm. Place corn husks on a clean surface. Top each with 120 grams Duck Tamal and 40 grams Duck Confit. Seal and transfer to a steamer basket. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add basket and steam stuffed tamales 40 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and top with additional 40 grams Duck Confit, desired amount Xnipec, cilantro, and 1 ounce Compressed Cucumbers. Serve with ramekin Habanero Ash Salsa.
