Pan-Seared Duck Breast with...Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Sichuan Plum Glaze & Five-Spice Parsnip Purée

An elegant Michelin-caliber fusion of perfectly seared, spiced duck breast served over a velvety parsnip purée, finished with a vibrant, glossy Sichuan pepper and dark plum reduction.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   For the purée, simmer parsnips and grated ginger in heavy cream and 100ml of water over medium heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a high-speed blender with the butter and a pinch of five-spice powder. Blend until silk-smooth, season with sea salt, and keep warm.

2. 02

   Score the duck breast skin in a tight crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the flesh. Season both sides generously with sea salt and a touch of five-spice powder.

3. 03

   Place duck breasts skin-side down in a cold, dry skillet. Place over medium-low heat to slowly render the fat. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and extremely crispy. Flip and sear the flesh side for 2-3 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from pan and let rest for 8 minutes.

4. 04

   Pour off most of the duck fat from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add the chopped plums, star anise, and Sichuan peppercorns, sautéing for 2 minutes until fragrant and softened.

5. 05

   Deglaze the pan with Shaoxing rice wine, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the soy sauce and honey. Simmer over medium-low heat until the plums break down and the sauce reduces to a glossy, syrupy glaze. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing to extract all juices.

6. 06

   In a separate pan, sear the halved baby bok choy in 1 teaspoon of the rendered duck fat over high heat for 2 minutes until slightly charred but still crisp.

7. 07

   To plate, swipe a generous spoonful of the parsnip purée across each plate. Slice the rested duck breast on the bias and fan it over the purée. Place the charred bok choy alongside. Spoon the warm Sichuan plum glaze elegantly over the duck and finish with microgreens.