Two decades ago, I didn’t have any idea where to get mirin and sake. And the only thing I knew about Japanese soy sauce was that it was so pricey, you’re only supposed to use it for dipping but not for cooking.
Times have changed indeed. Japanese soy sauce is not as pricey as it once was (law of supply and demand, obviously). Sake and mirin have become regular items in the grocery.
These days, we can cook teriyaki (soy sauce, sake and mirin) and shigureni (soy sauce, sake, mirin and ginger) anytime. And we “teriyaki” and “shigureni” just about everything at home. Noodles, salmon, beef, scallops, eggplants, meatballs, mushrooms… And duck, of course.
Duck Breast Teriyaki
Unlike traditional teriyaki dishes that require the meat to be marinated then grilled, in this recipe, the duck breast is first seared then braised in teriyaki sauce.Duck skin is quite fatty. When you sear the duck, a pool of rendered fat will surround it in the pan. You won’t use that fat in this dish but I urge you not to throw it away as it is full of flavor. Cool it and keep in covered jar in the fridge. Use it to cook fried rice and be amazed at how much richness it contributes.
Ingredients
- ½ duck breast
- 2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons sake
- finely sliced scallions to garnish
- toasted sesame seeds to garnish
Video
Instructions
- Score the duck skin by making diagonal shallow cuts all over at half-inch intervals.
- Repeat going the opposite direction.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan.
- Lay the duck on the pan, skin side down.
- Cook over high heat until lightly browned.
- Transfer the duck to a plate. Pour off the duck fat.
- Return the frying pan to the stove with the heat set to medium. Pour in the soy sauce, mirin and sake.
- Put the duck breast pan in the pan, skin side up.
- Cover the pan and cook the duck over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes or just until done.
- Transfer the duck to a chopping board.
- Cut into slices about half an inch thick.
- Place rice on a plate.
- Arrange the duck on top.
- Drizzle in the pan juices.
- Sprinkle with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
Notes
Updated from a recipe originally published in March 28, 2016
