- ½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 tbsp hoi sin sauce
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 x 175g/6 oz duck fillets, skin on
- 1 litre/35fl oz chicken stock
- 2 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in 200ml hot water for 20 minutes
- 100g/4oz Chinese leaf, shredded
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 200g/8oz flat udon noodles, cooked
- 3 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal
- 40g/2oz bean sprouts
- 1 large handful coriander, roughly chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Place all of the marinade ingredients into a shallow bowl and mix well to coat the duck. Marinate for as long as you can – preferably overnight, but anything more than 20 minutes will do.
- Heat a dry frying pan until just warm. Place the duck skin-side down and cook for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown.
- Turn up the heat, turn over the duck and cook for a further minute until crisp.
- Transfer to the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and rest for five minutes, before slicing.
- For the noodle soup, pour the chicken stock into a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the shiitake mushrooms and their soaking liquid, and the Chinese leaf.
- Add the light soy sauce, rice wine, rice vinegar and udon noodles to the pan. Bring to the boil.
- Scatter over the chopped spring onions, bean sprouts and coriander. Season to taste.
- To serve, ladle some of the noodle soup into a bowl, place the duck breast on top and serve straightaway.