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"  Chefs with a passion for chocolate in any form are tracing the flavor back to where it begins: to cocoa nibs, the fermented and roasted seeds of the cacao tree. These brittle mahogany nuggets, resembling roasted coffee beans, are what the ancient Mayans and Aztecs ground and brewed for the original hot chocolate. When crushed, sweetened and emulsified, nibs make the smooth chocolate bars we crave. But as inventive cooks have discovered, even unadorned nibs can play a culinary role, adding a pleasantly bitter crunch to biscotti, or a sly cocoa hint to a pounded spice rub for duck. To Alice Medrich, the San Francisco chocolate maven, nibs have a primal chocolate taste, hinting of roasted nuts, berries and wine. Fold them into chocolate-chip-cookie dough or a brownie batter, or add a few when you grind coffee beans. Keep cocoa nibs in the freezer to prevent oxidation. Click here to see the resources.  Chocolate-Chip-and-Cocoa-Nib Biscotti Ingredients  \u2022 2 cups all-purpose flour \u2022 2 tsp. aniseeds \u2022 1 \u00BD tsp. baking powder \u2022 \u00BC tsp. salt \u2022 \u00BD cup unsalted butter, softened \u2022 1 cup sugar \u2022 2 large eggs, at room temperature \u2022 1 tbsp. brandy \u2022 1 tsp. vanilla extract \u2022 \u00BD cup roasted cocoa nibs* \u2022 Scant \u00BD cup bittersweet chocolate chips \u2022 1 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped Directions Preheat oven to 325\u00B0F. Line a heavy baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the flour, aniseeds, baking powder and salt in a bowl and stir to blend. In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, blending until smooth. Add the brandy and vanilla extract. On low speed, add the flour mixture gradually, beating just until blended and scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Add the cocoa nibs, chocolate chips and nuts, and mix just enough to blend. With two soup spoons, transfer the dough to the baking sheet, shaping 3 logs, each about 14 inches long and 1\u00BD inches wide. Space the logs as far apart as possible; they will spread in the oven. Bake until firm to the touch and lightly browned, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove logs from the oven and let stand on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a cutting board.  With a chef&amp;#039;s knife, cut \u00BD-inch-wide slices on the diagonal. Transfer the slices to the baking sheet, cut side down (you can reuse the original parchment), and bake 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. The biscotti are better the second day and will keep for at least 2 weeks. Makes about 6 dozen.   Pan-Seared Duck Breasts with Cocoa-Nib Spice Rub Ingredients  \u2022 1 tbsp. roasted cocoa nibs* \u2022 2 tsp. kosher salt \u2022 \u00BD tsp. whole black peppercorns \u2022 4 juniper berries \u2022 3 whole cloves \u2022 4 boneless duck breasts, about 8 oz. each  Directions In a mortar or spice grinder, grind the cocoa nibs, salt, peppercorns, juniper berries and cloves to a powder. Massage this spice rub onto both sides of the duck breasts. Put the breasts on a flat rack and set the rack on a tray so that air circulates all around them. Refrigerate uncovered for 24 to 48 hours. Bring to room temperature before cooking. Heat a large, heavy skillet over moderate heat. Add the duck breasts, skin side down. Cook the breasts, pouring off fat as it accumulates, until the skin is well browned and crisp, about 12 minutes, adjusting the heat so the skin colors without burning.  Turn the duck breasts and cook on the flesh side for 6 minutes; using tongs, sear all the exposed flesh. Let rest 10 minutes on a cutting board, then slice on the diagonal. Serve immediately. Serves 4. *Cocoa nibs are available at specialty grocery stores or online at Chocosphere.com, ScharffenBerger.com and SurLaTable.com. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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