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Pan-Seared Duck Breast with...Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Five-Spice Plum Glaze and Shiitake Dashi Emulsion

Name: Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Five-Spice Plum Glaze and Shiitake Dashi Emulsion
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Modern Asian Fusion
Ingredients: 2 skin-on duck breasts (approx. 200g each); 1 tsp sea salt; 4 ripe red plums, pitted and chopped; 2 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder; 1 tbsp rice vinegar; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated; 1 cup high-quality dashi stock; 4 dried shiitake mushrooms; 50g unsalted butter, cubed and chilled; 1 tsp white soy sauce (shiro shoyu); 4 heads of baby bok choy, washed and halved lengthwise; 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil; Microgreens and toasted sesame seeds for plating

🍴

Cuisine

Modern Asian Fusion

👥

Servings

⏱

Prep Time

30 mins

🍳

Cook Time

25 mins

⭐

Difficulty

Hard

An exquisite harmony of perfectly rendered, crispy-skinned duck breast paired with a vibrant, spiced sweet plum glaze, balanced by a rich, savory shiitake dashi butter emulsion.

Modern Asian FusionHard

Ingredients

•2 skin-on duck breasts (approx. 200g each)

•1 tsp sea salt

•4 ripe red plums, pitted and chopped

•2 tbsp light soy sauce

•1 tbsp honey

•1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

•1 tbsp rice vinegar

•1 clove garlic, minced

•1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated

•1 cup high-quality dashi stock

•4 dried shiitake mushrooms

•50g unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

•1 tsp white soy sauce (shiro shoyu)

•4 heads of baby bok choy, washed and halved lengthwise

•1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

•Microgreens and toasted sesame seeds for plating

Cooking Instructions

01
Rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms in hot dashi stock for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving the dashi liquid, and slice the rehydrated mushrooms thinly.
02
Score the duck breast skin in a tight crosshatch pattern, avoiding cutting into the meat. Season both sides generously with sea salt.
03
Place the duck breasts skin-side down in a cold, dry skillet over medium-low heat. Slowly render the fat for 12-15 minutes, draining excess fat as needed, until the skin is exceptionally thin and crispy. Flip and cook the meat side for 2-3 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from heat and rest for 8-10 minutes before slicing.
04
For the glaze, combine the chopped plums, light soy sauce, honey, five-spice powder, rice vinegar, minced garlic, and grated ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes until the plums completely break down. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender, then pass through a fine-mesh sieve.
05
For the emulsion, bring the reserved dashi stock to a gentle simmer in a clean saucepan. Lower the heat and slowly whisk in the chilled cubes of butter one by one to create a glossy, stable emulsion. Stir in the sliced shiitake mushrooms and white soy sauce. Keep warm but do not boil.
06
In a hot skillet, add the toasted sesame oil and sear the baby bok choy cut-side down for 2 minutes until caramelized yet tender-crisp.
07
To plate, spoon a generous pool of the shiitake dashi emulsion onto the center of each plate. Arrange the seared bok choy on top. Slice the rested duck breast and fan it over the greens. Elegantly drizzle the warm five-spice plum glaze over the duck, and finish with a scatter of microgreens and toasted sesame seeds.

Cooking Reviews

“

The Caprese Salad Skewers recipe was a triumph! I prepared them for a party's barbecue and everyone loved them. The basil was so aromatic, the mozzarella so fresh, and the skewers were the perfect size and an appropriate.

Michael Burns

July 1, 2023