Five Spiced Duck Breast With Bok Choy and Gai Larn

Submitted by The Flying Chef

"This is a very simple recipe that is quick and easy to do and tastes wonderful. I love duck and cook it all the time, whilst I have made duck with fruit sauces and Asian sauces and they are wonderful. Sometimes I think you can over complicate recipes and they are tasty, but they are time consuming with lots of steps and sometimes simple is the best way to go."

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 4 duck breasts
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons five-spice powder (depending on the size of breasts.)
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 star anise
• 4 bunches gai lan
• 2 bok choy
• 200 ml water
• 1 teaspoon chicken stock
• 1 -2 tablespoon honey, depending on personal taste
• 6 green onions, sliced 2cm long
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons cornflour

directions

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Remove duck from oven, allow to rest for about 5 minutes then slice along slits.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. To Serve: Arrange vegetables on a plate, top with duck breast and drizzle sauce around plate. Decorate with some star anise if desired.

Reviews

[RonaNZ]

I have only ever cooked duck once before and that was a whole duck - after I had gutted and plucked it. The result was not good so I've been put off cooking duck although I do love eating it. This recipe has given me the confidence to try more duck recipes (and Flying Chef has quite a selection). The skin was nice a crisp, breast meat beautifully tender and moist and the flavour was delicious. Thanks.