Five-Spice Glazed Duck Breast...Five-Spice Glazed Duck Breast with Plum-Ginger Reduction and Kabocha Purée

Pan-roasted duck breast with a crispy five-spice crust, served over a silky, miso-infused kabocha squash purée and finished with a rich, tangy plum and ginger reduction.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Steam the kabocha squash cubes until completely tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a high-speed blender with the coconut cream, white miso, and a pinch of salt. Blend on high until completely smooth, then slowly add the cold cubed butter piece by piece to emulsify. Pass through a fine chinois sieve and keep warm.

2. 02

   In a small saucepan, combine chopped plums, ginger, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, honey, star anise, and duck stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat for 20 minutes until the plums have broken down and the liquid is reduced by half.

3. 03

   Strain the plum mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing firmly on the solids to extract all flavor. Simmer the strained sauce on low heat until it reduces to a rich, glossy glaze that coats the back of a spoon. Keep warm.

4. 04

   Pat the duck breasts completely dry with paper towels. Score the skin in a tight diamond pattern, taking care not to cut into the flesh. Season both sides with Fleur de sel and dust the skin side evenly with the Chinese five-spice powder.

5. 05

   Place the duck breasts, skin-side down, in a cold, dry skillet. Place over medium-low heat. Slowly render the fat for 8-10 minutes, pouring off excess fat as it accumulates, until the skin is exceptionally thin, golden, and crispy.

6. 06

   Flip the duck breasts and cook on the flesh side for 2-3 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature of 54°C / 130°F). Transfer to a warm board and let rest for 8 minutes to redistribute the juices.

7. 07

   To plate, spoon a generous pool of the warm kabocha purée onto the center of each plate. Slice the rested duck breast into thick, elegant slices and fan them over the purée. Drizzle the warm plum-ginger reduction around the plate and garnish with micro-coriander and toasted sesame seeds.