Quesadillas De Pato Recipe

Prepare and season duck

Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towels. Score the skin in a crosshatch pattern without cutting into the meat. Season both sides with kosher salt, black pepper, and ground cumin, pressing the spices into the skin and meat.

Render skin and cook duck

Place a cold heavy skillet (cast iron preferred) over medium-low heat. Put duck breasts skin-side down into the dry skillet. Cook slowly for 8–10 minutes, pressing occasionally to render fat and crisp skin; the pan will release a fair amount of fat. When the skin is deeply golden and crisp, flip the breasts and sear the meat side 2–3 minutes until golden. If the breasts are thick, transfer to a 375°F (190°C) oven for 5–7 minutes until internal temperature reaches 58–60°C (136–140°F) for medium-rare. Remove from the pan and rest 8 minutes, then thinly slice or shred the meat into bite-size pieces. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the rendered duck fat and discard or save the rest for another use.

Prepare fillings

In a bowl combine the shredded duck with half of the chopped mint, the diced onion, and chopped cilantro (if using). Toss gently and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Keep the remaining mint aside for finishing. Grate or shred the artisanal melting cheese if not pre-shredded.

Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, and lime juice in a bowl. Add warm water one tablespoon at a time until the sauce reaches a smooth, pourable but slightly thick consistency (about 3–4 tbs). Adjust seasoning with salt or additional soy sauce and add red pepper flakes if you want heat. Taste and set aside. This sauce will be used as a drizzle inside and for serving.

Stir together mayonnaise, minced chipotle in adobo, lime juice, honey, and salt until smooth. Taste and adjust heat or acidity. Transfer to a squeeze bottle or small bowl for serving. This will be spread inside the quesadillas and served on the side.

Heat a clean skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon neutral oil (or 1 tbs of duck fat reserved). Place one tortilla in the pan, warm 20–30 seconds. Spread about 1 tablespoon chipotle mayonnaise across half of the tortilla. Sprinkle 2–3 tablespoons of shredded cheese over the mayo, then add a generous layer (about 3–4 tbs) of the shredded duck-onion-mint mixture, a small spoonful (about 1 tbs) of peanut salsa spaced in dollops, and a little more cheese to help bind. Fold the tortilla over to form a half-moon.

Cook the folded quesadilla 2–3 minutes per side, pressing lightly with a spatula, until the tortilla is golden brown and the cheese melted. Add additional butter to the pan as needed and repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Keep cooked quesadillas warm on a baking sheet in a low oven (200°F/95°C) if making a batch.

When ready to serve, cut each quesadilla into 3 wedges. Drizzle a little more peanut salsa and a thin line of chipotle mayonnaise over the wedges, and garnish with the remaining chopped mint and lime wedges for squeezing.

Arrange quesadilla wedges on a platter. Serve extra peanut salsa and chipotle mayonnaise on the side for dipping. Offer lime wedges for brightness. Enjoy warm.