Tea-smoked duck breast

You will need a well ventilated room to make this in, as it can get quite smoky. It's worthwhile for the beautiful, subtle layers though, and can be kept in the fridge for up to three days before use. Great for a dinner party if made in advance.

Servings
Serves: 4 as a started
Prep
30 mins
Cook
30 mins

Ingredients

For the smoked duck

  • 200g uncooked rice
  • 100g loose tea leaves
  • 4 star anise
  • 3 sticks on cinammon. broken in half
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 2 cm root ginger, halved and flattened
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 1 chilli, halved lengthways
  • 2 Gressingham duck breasts

For the salad

  • 1/2 cucumber, peeled into ribbons
  • 4 radishes, washed and finely sliced
  • 4 gem lettuce leaves, sliced
  • 1 tsp sushi ginger (optional)

Method

  1. Line a wok with two layers of tin foil. Evenly spread out all of the smoking ingredients in the base, then put the wok on a low heat and place a wire rack inside it over the smoking ingredients.
  2. Dry the duck breasts well with kitchen paper. Lay them skin side down into an unoiled frying pan on a low to medium heat. Lightly season the meat. Cook for about 4 minutes or until the skin starts to crisp up. Transfer the duck breasts to the wire rack in the wok, laying them skin side up. Place a lid over the top, or cover with more foil, to keep the smoke in and turn the heat up to medium. Leave the duck to smoke for 10 minutes, then take the wok off the heat but leave it covered with the duck inside for another 10 minutes.
  3. Arrange the salad ingredients neatly on one half of the plate. Carve the smoked duck into thin slices and lay them on the other half of the plate to serve.

Our Story

The Gressingham duck is a unique breed that first came about when the small but flavourful wild Mallard was crossed with the larger Pekin duck giving a meaty, succulent duck with more breast meat, less fat and a rich gamey flavour.