In the kitchen · 5 min read
Why our duck enchilada takes three days
Head Chef, Las Ficheras
14 years in Mexico City and Lisbon kitchens
Published 22 August 2026 · Reviewed by the kitchen
Day one: the cure
Legs go into salt, orange zest, bay and cracked allspice overnight. It seasons the meat all the way through and firms the texture so it shreds in strands instead of mush.
Day two: the braise
Rinsed, then slow-braised in its own fat with onion and a single guajillo until the meat gives at the bone. It rests overnight in the braising liquid, which is when it actually gets good.
Day three: the mole
Ancho, guajillo and chile de árbol toasted, soaked, blended with almonds, sesame, tomato, plantain, chocolate and orange juice - then cooked down slowly for two hours. Twenty-two ingredients. It tastes flat for the first hour and then suddenly does not.
On the plate
Corn tortillas dipped in warm mole, filled with the pulled duck, finished with crema, sesame and a little raw orange. Nothing crisps, nothing is fried. It should be soft, dark and slightly sweet.
Three days of work for a dish that leaves the pass in ninety seconds. That ratio is the whole argument for cooking this way.