What's cooking tonight? - Five Spice Roast Duck Breast

Five Spice Roasted Duck Breast

This is a delicious duck recipe - perfectly tender meat for this dead easy dinner party dish, very tasty.

Serves 4

Ready in 30 minutes

Ingredients

4 duck breasts, free-range if possible

1 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder

Olive Oil for frying

2 star anise broken in half

4 bok choi halved

4 spring onions cut into lengths

2 tbsp soy sauce

Chicken Stock fresh, cube or concentrate, made up to 100ml

2 tbsp runny honey

Method

1.       Firstly, cut slashes through the skin and fat of each duck breast, make sure that you don’t cut into the flesh.  Rub the duck with the Five Spice and season well. 

2.       Heat a little oil in a heavy frying pan and when it is really hot add the duck breasts, skin-side down.  Turn the heat down a little and fry for 8-10 minutes or until the skin is very crisp and brown and the fat has started to melt out from under the skin.  Tip out any excess fat.

3.       Turn the breasts over and add the star anise to the pan.  Cook for another 5 minutes or until the duck breasts feel firm to the touch but not too solid – you want them pink in the middle.  Take the duck out of the pan and let rest for 5 minutes.

4.       Whilst the duck is resting add the bak choi to the pan with the spring onions and cook briefly.  Add the Soy sauce, chicken stock and honey and let it bubble together briefly.

5.       Plate the duck, bok choi and spring onions and spoon over the sauce.

Cook’s tips

v  If your guests like sauces I would double up on the sauce ingredients as it is delicious and people always more.

v  You can always serve this dish with steamed rice or noodles.

v  If time is of the essence and you want to spend time with your guests you can pop the duck in the oven for 15 minutes on a low heat.