Growing up in a Chinese household, I had always taken five-spice powder for granted. I never wondered what it was that gave my mother's pork braise or seared tofu that special comforting, familiar fragrance.
That is, until I moved away from home and actually had to start cooking for myself.
Five-spice is one of those magical, mysterious things. Szechuan peppercorns, cloves, star anise, cinnamon, and fennel seeds by themselves are great, but put them together and the perfume always evokes memories of my mother, Taiwan, Chinese food and home.
Nowadays I still turn to five-spice when I need comfort food. My dish is partly inspired by a chef I worked with who used to coat tuna steaks in five-spice and then sear them. As a duck lover, I just couldn't resist tweaking the recipe a bit. The kumquats, another holdover from my childhood in Taiwan, add a subtly sweet accent.
(Serves 2 light eaters or 1 hungry person)
The Goods
1 boneless duck breast, skin on
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
1 small shallot, minced
1 kumquat, quartered, seeded, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup lighter style, unoaked red wine
1/4 cup unsalted chicken stock or broth
1 large pat of butter
Salt and pepper to taste
The How-To
Score the skin on the duck breast with a small, sharp knife, in a 1/2-inch crosshatch pattern. Be sure to cut well into the fat directly underneath the skin, but not all the way to the flesh.
Season each side with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle each side of the duck breast with 1/4 teaspoon five spice powder, patting to adhere.
Cover and let duck sit in fridge for a couple of hours.
Preheat oven to 400°.
Bring duck breast out to room temperature for 20 minutes.
Heat skillet on medium-low until hot, and place duck breast, skin side down, directly on dry skillet.
Flip the duck after the skin has become deep golden brown and separates easily from the pan.
Cook for a few more minutes until both side are golden brown.
Finish the duck breast in the oven for a few minutes for medium to medium-well, a minute more for well, and a minute less for medium-rare. If the duck breast is very thin, it may not need to be finished in the oven.
Remove the duck to a cutting board, tent with foil to keep warm, and let rest for 5-10 minutes.
Pour off all except 1 T. of the fat in the pan.
Cook the shallots in the pan over medium-low heat until soft, season with a little salt and pepper.
Throw the kumquats into the pan when the shallots are soft.
Pour the red wine into the pan, scraping up any brown bits stuck onto the bottom of the pan, and let the wine boil down to about half the original volume.
Pour the chicken stock into the pan and let it boil down again, to about half the original volume.
Meanwhile, slice the duck breast and keep the slices warm.
Take the sauce off the heat and whisk in the butter.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Drizzle the duck with the kumquat sauce.
Serve the duck with a salad for a light lunch, or with starch and vegetables for a more substantial meal.
Chih-Chung Fang creates mouth-watering artisan breads and pastries at Arizmendi in Emeryville, California. At home, he loves to surprise guests with
coconut avocado ice cream.