Five spice powder includes the following spices: Szechuan peppercorns, cinnamon stick, star Anise, fennel and cloves. If you don’t have time to make your own 5 spice powder just use store bought. The vanilla gives an added depth and luxurious flavour to the spices.
ingredients
Five Spice Powder
Glaze
Duck
directions
Toast the spices in a saucepan over medium heat until fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes. Cool and grind in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.
Add five spice powder and coriander, sherry, sherry vinegar, honey and vanilla bean to a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let reduce slightly until thick and syrupy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside. There will be about 1 ½ tbsp. of glaze in the pan. If it reduces too much, loosen with 1 tbsp. sherry.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Score the duck breasts with five diagonal lines. Season the duck with salt and pepper. In a cast iron frying pan, sear the duck, skin side down, just to caramelize skin side, about 1 to 2 minutes. Duck will colour very quickly.
Transfer duck to oven and roast for 8 to 10 minutes. Brush duck breasts with some of the glaze. Continue cooking until duck is medium rare, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Cover with foil and let rest for five minutes before slicing. Slice duck breast thinly and drizzle with any remaining glaze.