Best Five Spice Grilled Duck With Citrus Sauce And Couscous Recipes

CITRUS COUSCOUS CUPS

Steps:

• Cook's Note: To toast the almonds, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 6 to 8 minutes until lightly toasted. Cool completely before using.
• Special equipment: 24-count nonstick mini-muffin pan; 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter
• For the pastry cups: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 24-count nonstick mini-muffin pan with vegetable oil cooking spray. Unroll the pie crusts on a lightly floured work surface. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut 12 circles of dough from each crust. Press the dough into the prepared muffin cups. Bake until light golden, 10 minutes. Cool completely before filling, 15 minutes.
• For the salad: Bring the broth, orange zest, orange juice and cumin to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the couscous and remove the pan from the heat. Cover the pan until the liquid had been absorbed and the couscous is tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Fluff the couscous and break up any lumps, using a fork. Toss together the couscous, mandarin oranges, almonds and parsley in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the dressing: Whisk together the oil, orange juice, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl until smooth.
• To assemble: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until coated. Spoon the mixture into the cooled pastry cups and serve.

FIVE-SPICE DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• Place the duck breasts skin-side down on a cutting board and trim any excess skin that hangs over the sides of the breasts. Flip the breasts over and score the skin with four parallel, diagonal cuts. Dust the breasts on both sides with the five-spice powder.
• Heat a cast-iron pan over medium-low heat. Place duck breasts in the pan, skin-side down, and cook until the fat has melted and the skin is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Flip the breasts over and continue to cook for about 10 minutes for medium doneness. Remove the duck to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes (this ensures the duck will be plump and juicy). To serve, cut the breasts into 1/4-inch-thick slices and spread out in a shingle pattern on a large platter.

SPICE RUBBED GRILLED DUCK BREAST WITH GRILLED PEACH AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Heat grill to medium. Put orange juice in a medium saucepan and cook until reduced by half. Add the blackberries and cook for 2 minutes. Strain the mixture into a bowl. Place the blackberries in another bowl and set aside.
• Mix together all the spices and rub the skin side of the duck with some of the rub. Season breasts with salt and drizzle with oil. Grill, rub side down until a crust forms, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the breasts over and continue cooking to medium doneness, brushing with some of the orange-blackberry glaze every minute or so. Transfer to a large platter.
• Brush the cut side of the peaches with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the peaches, cut side down until slightly charred about 2 minutes. Turn over and grill for another minute. Arrange cut side up around the duck, or on another platter. Spoon some goat cheese into the peach hollows, scatter the arugula and pecans over, and then some of the cooked blackberries. Serve the remaining berries with the duck and peaches, if desired.

FIVE-SPICE DUCK TOSTADA WITH GINGER-CHILE CREAM DRESSING

Steps:

• In a saute pan, toast the Szechuan peppercorns, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, and star anise over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until fragrant. Remove from the heat and let cool. Grind the toasted spices in a coffee grinder to the consistency of course salt and pour into a small bowl. Add the garlic powder, salt, and curry powder and mix well.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Prick the skin of the duck all over with the point of a very sharp knife. Rub the duck with the spice mixture. Place in a roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes. Decrease the temperature to 350 degrees F and cook for another 40 minutes, until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced. Transfer the duck to a platter, reserving the duck fat in the pan.
• When the duck cools, remove the skin and the meat and julienne both. Place the skin in a small saute pan. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved duck drippings and saute slowly over low heat. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the fat is rendered from the skin and the skin is crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Place all the ingredients except the canola oil in a blender. Blend for 1 minute. With the motor running, slowly add the canola oil. If the dressing is too thick, add a small amount of water to thin it to desired consistency.
• In a large bowl, mix the greens, carrot, jicama, green onion, cranberries, macadamia nuts, and mango. Drizzle with 3/4 cup of the dressing and toss to coat.
• To assemble the dish, divide the dressed greens among the tortillas and mound in the center. Divide the duck meat among the salads. Top with the wonton strips and duck skin cracklings and serve.

FIVE-SPICE DUCK

Steps:

• To make the five-spice rub, put the fennel, cinnamon, star anise, Szechwan peppercorns (or cardamom), cloves, and chipotle pepper in a small pan over medium heat and toast for a few minutes until aromatic, shaking the pan. Let cool, then grind the toasted spices in a spice mill or clean coffee grinder. Transfer the ground spices to a bowl. Add the ginger, garlic, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine well.
• Pat spice rub generously all over the skin of the ducks, place them on a rack over a roasting pan, and refrigerate them, uncovered, for at least 2 hours, or, preferably overnight.
• Preheat a grill.
• When you are ready to cook the ducks, place them on a rotisserie over a grill with a drip pan set directly under the ducks. Keep the fire fairly low to avoid flare ups. Cook the ducks until the juices run clear and an instant read thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 175 degrees F, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the ducks from the rotisserie and carve them into breast and leg-thigh portions.

PAN-SEARED FIVE-SPICE DUCK BREAST WITH BALSAMIC JUS

Steps:

• In a large, heavy self-sealing plastic bag, combine the garlic, ginger, five-spice powder, salt, and pepper. Add the duck breasts, seal, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/gas 6. In a large ovenproof sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the duck breast, skin side down, for 5 minutes; turn and sear for 5 minutes on the other side. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 5 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer the duck breasts to a plate and keep warm.
• To make a balsamic jus, pour off the fat from the pan. Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the wine, and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook to reduce the wine by half. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook to reduce for several more minutes.
• Cut the duck breasts into diagonal slices and serve drizzled with the balsamic jus.

FIVE-SPICE DUCK BREAST WITH BLACKBERRIES

Steps:

• Trim duck breasts as necessary, removing extraneous fat or gristle. Score the skin side of the breast diagonally with a sharp knife.
• Season both sides of the duck breasts with salt, then sprinkle both sides evenly with five-spice powder. Mix together ginger and garlic and use it to slather the breasts. Cover and let marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature. (Alternatively, wrap and refrigerate for several hours, or even overnight; bring back to room temperature before cooking.)
• Place a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, lay duck breast in it skin-side down. Let sizzle gently for 7 minutes, until skin is crisp and golden, adjusting heat as necessary to keep from getting too dark too quickly. Turn breast over and cook 3 to 5 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer should register 125 degrees for medium rare. Remove from pan and let rest for 10 minutes on a warm plate. Drain fat from pan (reserve for another use if you wish).
• Make the sauce: Over medium heat, add shallots to same pan and cook until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add sherry vinegar, brown sugar and half the blackberries, stirring until sugar is dissolved and berries have released their juice. Add chicken broth, raise heat and simmer rapidly until liquid is reduced by half and a bit syrupy. Strain the contents of the skillet into a small saucepan and keep warm.
• To serve, slice duck breast thinly across the grain on a diagonal and arrange on a platter. Spoon the sauce over the meat and garnish with the rest of the blackberries.