Duck with Papaya and Green Beans

Ingredients:

1 boneless duck breast
couple ounces green beans
1 papaya
red onion (you won’t need the whole thing)
lemon
fresh basil
olive oil
szechuan peppercorns
Chinese 5-spice powder (last 3 items not shown)

Step 1:

Cut in half, seed, skin and julienne papaya.

Step 2:

Blanche (or in this case, microwave in bag) your green beans. Thinly slice a bit of red onion. Toss all ingredients and sprinkle with a bit of salt and szechuan pepper, olive oil (maybe 1 tsp) and fresh lemon juice (about 1 tsp). Set aside (you’ll serve this at room temp).

Step 3:

Pepper the skin side of the duck, and season the meat side with a sprinkling of the 5-spice powder and peppercorns. Place in a small skillet, skin side down, over medium-low heat. Cook for about 13-15 minutes, or until skin is nice and crispy and most of the fat has been rendered.

Step 4:

Pick up with tongs, sear sides by holding to the pan for 10-15 seconds, then flip skin-side-up, and finish cooking for about 3 minutes. Take duck off the heat and let it rest, like a steak, for a few minutes. It will be medium in the middle.

Step 5:

Meanwhile, tear up a few leaves of basil and add to the salad. After the duck has rested, slice on a bias, and plate on top of the salad.

DELICIOUS. I wasn’t sure how everything would work but everything balances in a really nice manner. The papaya goes great with the duck, the szechuan peppercorns give an unbelievable, perfumed spice, and the lemon and basil ties it all together. Yum.