Honey Spiced Duck

, from Issue #30. September, 2015
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Honey Spiced Duck

Five spice sautéd duck covered with honey sauce served with noodles and bok choy is a mouth-watering combination of flavours you won't be able to resist.

 

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

4 single duck breasts, skin on
½ teaspoon Chinese five spice
1 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground pepper

Sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon chopped coriander or flat-leaf parsley

To serve
200 grams thin egg noodles
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
blanched bok choy, optional

METHOD

Using a very sharp knife, lightly score the skin of the duck breasts in a criss cross pattern.

Put the five spice, sea salt and pepper in a small bowl and crush together with the back of a teaspoon to meld the flavours. Sprinkle onto both sides of the duck and rub in well. Cover and refrigerate if not cooking immediately.

Heat a sauté pan over a low heat. Place the duck, skin side down and cook for 10 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp and a lot of the fat has rendered into the pan. Turn the duck over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. This will give you medium-rare duck but cooking time will depend on the thickness of the meat.

Transfer to a plate, cover loosely and rest for 5 minutes. Spoon off the duck fat, leaving 1 tablespoon in the pan. Place the sauté pan back over the heat, add the honey and simmer for 1 minute. Add the vinegar and let it bubble up then stir in the garlic and chicken stock. Simmer for 5 minutes until reduced and syrupy then stir in the coriander.

To serve: Cook the noodles in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and toss with the sesame oil, spring onions and sesame seeds. Divide between shallow serving plates, adding the cooked bok choy if using. Slice the duck thinly on the diagonal and arrange on top of the noodles. Stir the meat resting juices into the sauce and spoon over the duck. Serve immediately.