Inspired by Peking duck, this recipe swaps the whole bird for easy-to-handle breast meat. It’s infused with fragrant Chinese-style five-spice powder, while a black tea brine gives it deep flavor without the use of a smoker.
What You’ll Need:
For the brine:
2 cups water
¼ cup loose black tea leaves
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
3 star anise pods
1 cinnamon stick
1 one-inch piece fresh ginger, smashed
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns (or ½ teaspoon ground)
For the duck:
4 duck breasts (about 1½ pounds)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Green onions, thinly sliced on a bias, for garnish
Dark soy sauce or hoisin, for serving
What To Do:
Make the tea brine: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, tea leaves, sugar, salt, dark soy sauce, star anise, cinnamon stick, ginger, cloves, five spice, and black peppercorns. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow the brine to cool completely. Strain the tea brine through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass measuring cup.
Brine the duck: Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towels and place in a resealable container or zip-top bag. Pour in the tea brine and cover with a lid or seal the bag. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight.
Cook the duck: 30 minutes before cooking, transfer the duck to a cutting board or plate (discard the brine) and pat the skin dry with paper towels. Allow the duck breasts to come to room temperature.
Drizzle the olive oil into a large cast-iron pan (do not heat). Place the duck in the pan, skin-side down, and set the pan over medium-low heat. Cook the duck breasts until the skin is deeply browned and crispy, 12 to 15 minutes (it will look dark from the dark soy sauce, but that doesn’t mean it’s burnt). Flip the duck and cook until it has reached your desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes more for medium.
Slice and serve: Transfer the duck to a cutting board and allow it to rest for at least 15 minutes. Slice the duck 1/2-inch-thick at a slight angle and transfer to a platter. Garnish with green onions and serve with a small dish of dark soy sauce or hoisin for dipping.
Serves 4.
A vinaigrette made with Burlap & Barrel smoked paprika brings spice, heat, and a heady burst of garlic to flaky fish.