Pan-Seared Sichuan Duck Breast...Pan-Seared Sichuan Duck Breast with Plum-Ginger Glaze & Edamame Purée

An elegant, Michelin-star caliber dish featuring perfectly rendered, five-spice crusted duck breast, paired with a vibrant edamame-wasabi purée, a tart-sweet spiced plum reduction, and quick-pickled shimeji mushrooms.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Score the duck breast skin in a tight crosshatch pattern, taking care not to cut into the flesh. Season both sides generously with kosher salt, ground Sichuan peppercorns, and Chinese five-spice powder. Set aside at room temperature.

2. 02

   Prepare the pickled mushrooms: In a small saucepan, bring the rice vinegar, sugar, and a pinch of salt to a gentle simmer. Once the sugar dissolves, pour the warm liquid over the trimmed shimeji mushrooms. Let them steep and cool for at least 20 minutes.

3. 03

   Make the edamame purée: Boil the edamame in salted water for 5 minutes until tender. Drain immediately and transfer to a high-speed blender. Add the heavy cream, wasabi paste, and a pinch of salt. Blend until completely smooth and velvety, then pass through a fine-mesh chinois. Keep warm.

4. 04

   Create the plum glaze: In a small saucepan, combine the chopped plums, soy sauce, mirin, and grated ginger. Simmer over medium-low heat for 12-15 minutes until the plums have fully broken down and the liquid has reduced to a syrupy glaze. Strain through a sieve, pressing to extract all the juices, and set aside.

5. 05

   Cook the duck: Place the duck breasts skin-side down in a cold, dry skillet. Turn the heat to medium-low to slowly render the fat, cooking for 8-10 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and extremely crispy. Pour off excess fat, flip the breasts, and cook for another 2-3 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature of 135°F/57°C). Rest the meat on a board for 5 minutes before slicing.

6. 06

   Plate the dish: Swipe a generous spoonful of the warm edamame purée across each plate. Slice the duck breasts into elegant medallions and arrange them alongside the purée. Drizzle the glossy plum-ginger glaze over the meat, and garnish with the drained pickled shimeji mushrooms and fresh micro coriander.