Chiles Anchos Rellenos de Pato Confitado con Néctar de Jamaica y Almendras Ahumadas

Prepare the Duck Confit (preferably 1-2 days in advance): Pat duck legs dry. Rub generously with sea salt and crushed peppercorns. Place in a non-reactive dish with thyme, bay leaves, and smashed garlic. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

The next day, rinse duck legs thoroughly under cold water to remove excess salt and pat completely dry. Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F).

In an oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, arrange duck legs snugly. Pour rendered duck fat over them until fully submerged. Cook in the oven for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the duck is fork-tender and the meat easily pulls away from the bone.

Carefully remove duck from fat. Let cool slightly. Shred the meat, discarding skin and bones. Reserve some duck fat for later use if desired.

Prepare the Ancho Chiles: Gently wipe ancho chiles clean. Remove stems and seeds. Place chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let them rehydrate for 20-30 minutes, until pliable. Drain chiles, reserving 1/4 cup of the rehydrating liquid. Gently pat dry.

Prepare the Duck Filling: In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced white onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the shredded duck confit to the skillet. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, allowing it to warm through and slightly crisp. Stir in fresh cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Prepare the Jamaica and Smoked Almond Nectar: In a saucepan, combine dried jamaica flowers, 4 cups water, piloncillo, cinnamon stick, and star anises. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the liquid is deep red and the flowers are soft.

Strain the liquid, pressing on the flowers to extract all liquid. Discard the spent flowers, cinnamon, and star anise. Return the jamaica liquid to the saucepan. Add ground cloves. Bring to a simmer and reduce by about half, until it has a syrupy consistency (around 1 cup). This is your "nectar".

In a food processor or with a mortar and pestle, finely grind the smoked and toasted almonds. Stir the ground smoked almonds and apple cider vinegar into the jamaica nectar. Season with a pinch of salt. Keep warm.

Assemble and Bake the Chiles Rellenos: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Carefully open each rehydrated ancho chile, being careful not to tear it. Fill each chile generously with the shredded duck confit mixture. Gently fold the chile around the filling to enclose it as much as possible.

Place the filled chiles seam-side down in a baking dish. Add the reserved 1/4 cup rehydrating liquid to the bottom of the dish to create some steam. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the chiles are heated through and very tender.

Serve: Carefully transfer each baked chile relleno to a serving plate. Drizzle generously with the warm Jamaica and Smoked Almond Nectar. Garnish with a sprinkle of crumbled cotija cheese and a fresh cilantro sprig, if desired. Serve immediately.