Five-Spice Duck Breast with Flavor Grenade Pluot Sauce, Roasted Summer Squash & Spring Onions, and Roasted Hannah Sweet Potatoes

Crisp-Skinned Five-Spice Duck Breast

Dry-brined five-spice seasons the fat cap and perfumes the meat. A cold-pan render yields glassy-crisp skin while keeping the meat rosy.

Ingredients

• 4 pieces duck breasts, skin-on (6–8 oz each)
• 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Pat duck dry. Score skin in a 1/2-inch crosshatch, cutting only through fat. Season all over with salt, five-spice, and pepper; rest uncovered in the fridge 30–60 minutes (up to overnight).
2. Set a heavy skillet over medium-low with the breasts skin-side down in a cold pan. Slowly render 8–12 minutes, adjusting heat to keep sizzling gentle, until skin is deep gold and much of the fat has rendered (about 1/4 cup in pan). Spoon off and reserve excess fat, leaving a thin film in the pan.
3. Flip and sear meat-side 1–2 minutes. Either finish on the stovetop over low heat or in a 350°F oven 4–6 minutes to 129–132°F internal for medium-rare.
4. Rest 8–10 minutes before slicing across the grain into 1/2-inch slices. Save resting juices for the sauce.

Notes

• Sous vide option: season, bag, and cook 133°F for 1–2 hours. Dry well and sear skin-side down 5–7 minutes to crisp, then briefly kiss the flesh side.
• If your five-spice blend is very fresh/potent, use 1.5 tsp and taste sauce before adding more spice elsewhere.

Flavor Grenade Pluot–Ginger Pan Sauce

Tart-sweet pluots, ginger, and vinegar cut the duck’s richness; coconut aminos add umami without soy.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp reserved duck fat (from searing)
• 1 large shallot, finely minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced or julienned
• 4 medium Flavor Grenade pluots, firm-ripe, pitted and sliced into 1/2-inch wedges
• 2 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp coconut aminos
• 1/2 cup duck or chicken stock (or water)
• 1 tsp honey (optional, to balance)
• kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• resting juices from the duck

Instructions

1. Pour off all but 2 tbsp fat from the duck pan. Over medium heat, sauté shallot and ginger until translucent and fragrant, 2–3 minutes.
2. Add pluot wedges and toss 60–90 seconds.
3. Deglaze with rice vinegar and coconut aminos, scraping up fond. Add stock and simmer 3–5 minutes until pluots soften but hold shape and the sauce lightly coats a spoon.
4. Stir in duck resting juices. Taste; add a touch of honey if too tart, more vinegar if too sweet. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm off heat.

Notes

• If using another pluot/plum, choose firm-ripe fruit so it doesn’t collapse.
• Too thick? Add a splash of stock. Too thin? Simmer 1–2 minutes more.
• For extra spice warmth, add a pinch of five-spice at the end—go light so it doesn’t get bitter.

Roasted Summer Squash and Spring Onions with Aged Balsamic

Hot-sheet roasting gives deep browning; a quick hit of aged balsamic glazes and brightens without making the vegetables soggy.

Ingredients

• 2 lb mixed summer squash (zucchini, yellow crookneck, pattypan), cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 6 pieces spring onions, bulbs halved lengthwise (greens trimmed to 4–5 inches)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 450°F with a rimmed sheet pan preheating inside.
2. In a bowl, toss squash and spring onions with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Spread onto the hot pan cut-sides down. Roast 15 minutes until well browned on edges.
4. Toss, drizzle with aged balsamic, and roast 3–5 minutes more until glossy and lightly charred in spots. Adjust salt and finish with a thread of olive oil if desired.

Notes

• If your balsamic isn’t syrupy, reduce 3 tbsp in a small pan to ~1.5 tbsp before tossing so it glazes instead of puddling.
• Add chili flakes or thyme if you like heat/herb notes, though the original looks straight and simple.

Roasted Hannah Sweet Potatoes

Slow roasting concentrates the white-fleshed Hannahs into a custardy interior with caramelized skins; a quick broil crisps the edges.

Ingredients

• 4 pieces Hannah (white-fleshed) sweet potatoes, medium, scrubbed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp ghee, for serving
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to finish
• black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Prick potatoes a few times, rub with olive oil and 1 tsp salt.
2. Roast on a rack set over a foil-lined sheet 60–80 minutes, until very tender and skins are deeply colored.
3. Rest 5 minutes. Split lengthwise, add ghee, and lightly smash to expose flesh. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Optional: Broil 2–3 minutes to blister the edges before serving.

Notes

• Sizes vary—add time for large potatoes. If you rendered plenty of duck fat, spoon some over before the optional broil.

Overall Timing / Workflow

Staggers long-roast potatoes with a quick duck sear and fast veg roast so everything lands hot without crowding the stove.

Instructions

1. Start: Heat oven to 400°F. Get potatoes roasting (60–80 minutes).
2. While potatoes roast, score/season duck; slice pluots; mince shallot and ginger; cut squash and spring onions.
3. When potatoes have ~30 minutes left, place a clean sheet pan in the oven and raise temp to 450°F for the squash (potatoes can stay in).
4. About 15 minutes before eating, sear duck skin-side down slowly. Flip and finish on stovetop to 129–132°F (or briefly in a 350°F oven if you have a second oven). Rest duck.
5. Roast squash/onions 15 minutes, toss with balsamic, and finish 3–5 minutes while you make the pan sauce in the duck skillet.
6. Plate: split potatoes with ghee; slice duck and sauce; add squash and onions. Serve immediately.

Notes

• If using one oven and finishing duck in the oven, roast squash after the duck is out (it’s fast); keep potatoes warm tented with foil.

Plating

Simple arrangement keeps duck skin crisp while the pluot sauce shines and vegetables stay distinct.

Instructions

1. Warm plates. Fan sliced duck off-center, keeping most skin above the sauce line.
2. Spoon pluot sauce over the meat side and onto the plate, not directly onto the skin.
3. Nest a mound of balsamic-glazed squash and spring onions alongside.
4. Add a split roasted Hannah sweet potato with a knob of ghee. Finish with flaky salt and fresh black pepper.

Notes

• If you want extra gloss, whisk a small cube of cold ghee into the warm sauce right before plating.

Leftover Path

Turns high-value duck and seasonal sauce into next-day meals without losing texture.

Instructions

1. Storage: Cool components separately; refrigerate up to 3 days. Keep sauce in a jar.
2. Reheat duck gently: place slices skin-side down in a cold nonstick pan; warm over low until skin re-crisps and meat is just warm, or serve room-temp.
3. Lettuce cups: slice cold duck, add a spoon of pluot sauce, herbs, and cucumber in butter lettuce.
4. Breakfast hash: cube sweet potatoes, sear in duck fat with leftover spring onions; add duck at the end and a squeeze of vinegar.
5. Frittata: chop roasted squash/onions and fold into eggs; serve with a dab of pluot sauce.
6. Pluot sauce as chutney: reduce briefly and serve with grilled pork or spoon over unsweetened coconut yogurt.

Notes

• Freeze sauce in an ice cube tray if you won’t use it within 3 days.