Ingredients
2 duck breasts
3 tsp. Silk Road | Chinese Five-Spice
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. reserved duck fat
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. minced ginger
1/2 cup duck or chicken stock
2 tbsp. honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
Cucumber Salad (Sunomono)
5-6 Persian cucumbers
2 tbsp. salt
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. sugar
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. mirin
2 tbsp. sake
1 tbsp. sugar
For Serving
Steamed sushi rice
Soy-marinated eggs (optional)
Cilantro (optional)
Sliced scallions (optional)
Sesame seeds (optional)
Preparation
Pat duck breasts completely dry with a towel. With a sharp knife, score the skin in a crosshatch pattern making sure not to cut into the meat. Season with salt and Silk Road | Chinese Five-Spice, then place in the fridge (uncovered) for at least four hours or overnight.
For the teriyaki sauce: In a small saucepan, add soy sauce, mirin, and sake. Place over medium heat and let come to a simmer. Add sugar, whisking to dissolve. Cook at a simmer until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool and set aside.
For the cucumber salad: Thinly slice Persian cucumbers and place in a colander. Season generally with salt and allow to sit for 7-10 minutes. This step allows excess moisture to be released from the cucumbers before pickling.
In a medium bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar, making sure to dissolve the sugar completely. Rinse cucumbers thoroughly to remove the salt. Pat very dry with a towel, then place into the bowl of dressing. Toss to coat and refrigerate until ready to use.
In preparation for the glaze, finely mince garlic and ginger and set aside. Remove duck breasts from fridge (best done about 30 minutes before cooking to allow to come to room temperature) and pat very dry with a towel.
For the duck: Place a cast iron skillet over low-medium heat and allow to come to temperature. Add duck breasts, skin-side down, and let cook until fat is completely rendered and duck reads 130 F (about 20-25 minutes - yes, really!). A heavy press can be used to keep the skin flat on the pan and ensure even browning. *It’s integral this step is done low and slow - make sure to keep the duck breasts sizzling but not frying. You should the fat slowly render from the duck and it should not smoke or burn.
Once duck reaches about 130 F, flip over and allow to cook briefly on the meat side (about 1-2 minutes). Duck should read 132-135 F when removing from the pan to allow room for carryover cooking. Allow to rest for at least 8 minutes.
For the glaze: In the same skillet, pour out all but about 2 tbsp. of the rendered duck fat (do NOT throw the excess away - it’s liquid gold!). Keeping the heat on low-medium, add garlic and ginger and cook for about 1 minute. Pour in duck or chicken stock and vigorously scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add soy sauce, honey, and rice vinegar, and stir to combine. Cook until reduced by half, stirring often, about 8-10 minutes.
Slice duck breasts into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces, and brush or drizzle glaze over the top. Serve over rice with the cucumber salad and any other toppings you want. Drizzle with homemade teriyaki sauce - and enjoy!
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