Ingredients:
2 breasts of duck magret – skin on
4 – 5 star anise
4 cloves,
1 tsp of cinnamon,
1/2 – 1 tsp peppercorns
2 table spoons fennel seeds
2 table spoons coriander seeds
1 large pinch of salt
2 table spoons of brown sugar
1 table spoon of soy sauce
1 teaspoon of vinegar
1 tsp of toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup of water
1 pinch of chilli powder (optional)
1 table spoon of fresh cilantro – finely chopped
1 spring onion finely chopped.
Steps:
Preheat the oven to 200F
Put the star anise, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, fennel and coriander seeds and salt into a herb mill or clean coffee grinder. Buzz until powdered.
Place the two duck breasts skin side up in an oven proof dish
Score the top fat layers in a cross hatch pattern (roughly 1cm squares), being careful not to cut into the meat itself.
Reserving 1 table spoon of the mixture to one side – Cover all sides with the ground spice mixture –
Put into the oven for 14 minutes or until the internal temperature is at 150F
Remove from the oven, sprinkle with 1 tsp of sugar and return to the oven for another 2 – 3 minutes
At this point the internal temperature should be at almost 160F.
The skin should be very crispy, (but the interior will be quite pink).
Remove from the oven and allow to rest of 10 – 15 minutes
While the meat is resting
Into a small sauce pan add
The soy sauce, vinegar, remaining sugar and spices, water and sesame oil
Cook on low / medium heat for 5 minutes – taking care not to let it burn.
Add the finely chopped spring onion and cilantro and remove from the heat.
Cut the duck into fine slices
Serve with a drizzle of the sweet sauce.
