Five Spice Duck Breast Recipes

FIVE SPICE DUCK SALAD

Steps:

• This exotic duck salad has got it all going on - crunch, spice, juicy fruit and tasty crispy duck.
• Season the duck breast and dust with Chinese five spice powder. Put in a medium-hot frying pan and fry very gently for 5 minutes, turning halfway, until lots of fat has come out of the skin and the skin is golden brown. Take out of the pan and slice thinly - the duck will still be raw in the middle but don't worry! Discard the fat from the pan and put the sliced duck back in. Stir fry for a few minutes, until cooked through and crispy. Set aside.
• Mix the pomegranate seeds, spring onions, coriander, watercress, mango and crispy duck together. Dress with the lime juice and a drizzle of sesame oil. Season to taste.
• Separate the lettuce leaves and arrange on plates. Top with the dressed salad to serve.

FIVE-SPICE DUCK BREAST WITH BLACKBERRIES

Steps:

• Trim duck breasts as necessary, removing extraneous fat or gristle. Score the skin side of the breast diagonally with a sharp knife.
• Season both sides of the duck breasts with salt, then sprinkle both sides evenly with five-spice powder. Mix together ginger and garlic and use it to slather the breasts. Cover and let marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature. (Alternatively, wrap and refrigerate for several hours, or even overnight; bring back to room temperature before cooking.)
• Place a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, lay duck breast in it skin-side down. Let sizzle gently for 7 minutes, until skin is crisp and golden, adjusting heat as necessary to keep from getting too dark too quickly. Turn breast over and cook 3 to 5 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer should register 125 degrees for medium rare. Remove from pan and let rest for 10 minutes on a warm plate. Drain fat from pan (reserve for another use if you wish).
• Make the sauce: Over medium heat, add shallots to same pan and cook until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add sherry vinegar, brown sugar and half the blackberries, stirring until sugar is dissolved and berries have released their juice. Add chicken broth, raise heat and simmer rapidly until liquid is reduced by half and a bit syrupy. Strain the contents of the skillet into a small saucepan and keep warm.
• To serve, slice duck breast thinly across the grain on a diagonal and arrange on a platter. Spoon the sauce over the meat and garnish with the rest of the blackberries.

PAN-SEARED FIVE-SPICE DUCK BREAST WITH BALSAMIC JUS

Steps:

• In a large, heavy self-sealing plastic bag, combine the garlic, ginger, five-spice powder, salt, and pepper. Add the duck breasts, seal, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/gas 6. In a large ovenproof sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the duck breast, skin side down, for 5 minutes; turn and sear for 5 minutes on the other side. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 5 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer the duck breasts to a plate and keep warm.
• To make a balsamic jus, pour off the fat from the pan. Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the wine, and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook to reduce the wine by half. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook to reduce for several more minutes.
• Cut the duck breasts into diagonal slices and serve drizzled with the balsamic jus.

CRISPY DUCK WITH FIVE SPICE AND HONEY

Steps:

• Score the duck and massage in the five spice powder.
• Place skin side down in a frying pan over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until crispy.
• Combine the honey and soy and brush over the skin before placing in the oven at 180C/350F/ Gas 5 for 15 minutes.
• Let the duck rest for about 5 minutes, covered loosely with foil. and skim off fat from tray. Mix juices with remaining honey and soy.
• Skim the fat from the roasting dish and combine the juices with the remaining honey and soy and heat through.
• Slice duck thinly and pour over the sauce.

CHINESE 5-SPICE DUCK WITH NOODLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/170C Fan/Gas 4.
• With a sharp knife, score a cross-hatch pattern into the duck fat. Rub the five-spice into the fat and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a heavy-based ovenproof frying pan. Place the duck breasts skin-side down and season the other side with five-spice, salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes or until most of the fat has run out into the pan and the skin is golden-brown. Turn the duck over and cook for 1 minute. Then cook in the oven for 3-5 minutes then allow to rest.
• Warm the honey and soy sauce together in a small pan. Bring to for 1 minute. Allow to cool.
• Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the noodles for 3-4 minutes or according to packet instructions. Drain and toss with half the spring onions, the lime juice and some sesame oil. Place between 2 bowls.
• Slice the duck into strips and place on top of noodles. Drizzle over the sauce and top with the remaining spring onions, sesame oil and sesame seeds.

FIVE SPICED DUCK BREAST WITH BOK CHOY AND GAI LARN

Steps:

• Cut diagonal slits in the skin being careful not to go all the way through to the flesh (not too far apart as these will be the size of slices, you will slice the duck when finished.) Rub five spice over breasts.
• Heat a pan and add duck skin side down cook for 8-10 minutes to crisp up skin and render fat. Place breasts on a wire rack in an oven proof dish. Cook in pre-heated oven 180ºC for about 25 minutes, or until cooked as desired.
• Remove duck from oven, allow to rest for about 5 minutes then slice along slits.
• While the duck is cooking cut the ends off of the bok choy and trim gai lan, in a large pan or wok, add soy, garlic, star anise and gai lan stir-fry a few minutes.
• Add water, bok choy, chicken stock and sugar stir-fry a few minutes more and then add onions and cook about a minute more remove vegetables to warm serving plates. Mix a little water with the cornflour and add to sauce, thicken slightly. (sauce will not be too thick it is not meant to be.) If not using a wok you will probably have to cook the vegetables longer as regular pans do not get as hot as woks.
• To Serve: Arrange vegetables on a plate, top with duck breast and drizzle sauce around plate. Decorate with some star anise if desired.

SPICE RUBBED GRILLED DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• Combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, five spice powder, dry mustard and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Using a sharp knife, score the skin of the duck so it has a 1/4-inch diamond pattern. Rub the spice mixture all over the duck.
• Heat a grill to medium (make sure it's not too hot since the key is to cook duck slowly to render the fat) and wipe down the grates with an oiled towel. Place the duck skin-side down on the grate and cook until the skin is seared and the fat is rendered, 4 to 5 minutes. (If there are occasional flare-ups from the fat, move the duck around on the grill to a new spot away from the flame each time.) Flip the duck over and place on a cooler part of the grill. Cook for an additional 5 minutes for medium-rare. Let rest for 5 to 7 minutes before cutting against the grain into thick slices.

FIVE-SPICE DUCK BREASTS

Steps:

• Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, rice wine, five-spice powder and ginger in a small bowl. Pat duck dry and trim the skin from the sides, leaving skin (and fat) just on top. Place the duck in a shallow glass baking dish and baste with the sauce mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine the remaining 1 teaspoon soy sauce and honey in a small bowl and place next to the stove.
• Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, score the duck skin in a crosshatch pattern. Sprinkle both sides of the duck with salt. Place, skin-side down, in a large cast-iron or ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Cook, undisturbed, until some of the fat is rendered and the skin is golden brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer the duck to a clean plate and carefully pour out the fat from the pan. Return the duck to the pan, skin-side up, and brush with the honey mixture. Transfer the pan to the oven.
• Roast the duck until an instant-read thermometer registers 150°F, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a clean cutting board. Combine hoisin and plum sauces; brush over the duck and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

FIVE-SPICE DUCK BREASTS

Steps:

• Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, rice wine, five-spice powder and ginger in a small bowl. Pat duck dry and trim the skin from the sides, leaving skin (and fat) just on top. Place the duck in a shallow glass baking dish and baste with the sauce mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine the remaining 1 teaspoon soy sauce and honey in a small bowl and place next to the stove.
• Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, score the duck skin in a crosshatch pattern. Sprinkle both sides of the duck with salt. Place, skin-side down, in a large cast-iron or ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Cook, undisturbed, until some of the fat is rendered and the skin is golden brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer the duck to a clean plate and carefully pour out the fat from the pan. Return the duck to the pan, skin-side up, and brush with the honey mixture. Transfer the pan to the oven.
• Roast the duck until an instant-read thermometer registers 150°F, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a clean cutting board. Combine hoisin and plum sauces; brush over the duck and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

FIVE-SPICE DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• Place the duck breasts skin-side down on a cutting board and trim any excess skin that hangs over the sides of the breasts. Flip the breasts over and score the skin with four parallel, diagonal cuts. Dust the breasts on both sides with the five-spice powder.
• Heat a cast-iron pan over medium-low heat. Place duck breasts in the pan, skin-side down, and cook until the fat has melted and the skin is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Flip the breasts over and continue to cook for about 10 minutes for medium doneness. Remove the duck to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes (this ensures the duck will be plump and juicy). To serve, cut the breasts into 1/4-inch-thick slices and spread out in a shingle pattern on a large platter.