Achiote and Tamarind Glazed Duck
An Afro-Mexican original, duck breasts marinated in an achiote and tamarind paste where the Yucatecan spice tradition and the West African sour-fruity palate meet in a glaze that caramelises to a lacquered, deeply coloured crust with sweet, sour, and smoky notes all structurally present.
Nutrition per Serving
Ingredients
For 2 servings
Instructions
Prep
Score duck skin in a crosshatch pattern through fat only. Season with 0.75 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp pepper. Mix achiote paste, tamarind paste, honey, garlic, cumin, allspice, orange juice, and 0.25 tsp salt until smooth. Coat duck breasts thoroughly, spreading under skin. Set aside 10 minutes. Prepare pickled red onion by soaking sliced onion in lime juice and salt 15 minutes.
Sear
Place duck skin-side down in a cold frying pan. Turn heat to medium, cook 12–14 minutes without moving, pouring off excess fat every 4 minutes, until skin is deep mahogany, lacquered, and most fat has rendered. Flip and cook flesh-side down 3–4 minutes until achiote caramelises deeply with dark edges.
Rest and plate
Rest duck on a board 5 minutes. Slice thickly against the grain. Fan slices over steamed jasmine rice with warm black beans alongside. Scatter pickled red onion and coriander over top. Serve with lime wedges.
Recipes use AI and Edamam. Always check for allergens before cooking. Spotted something wrong—email us at hello@grubplanit.com.