Seared Duck Breast with Plum Sauce and Soba Noodle Salad

Step 1

Bring a medium size pot of salted water to the boil.

Step 2

1 Using a vegetable peeler, peel carrot into ribbons; finely slice green beans. Set aside.

Step 3

2 Cook noodles in pot of boiling water for 5 minutes or until al dente (just cooked). Add green beans and carrots for final 30 seconds to cook with the noodles. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again and toss with sesame oil and soy sauce in a bowl.

Step 4

3 Trim duck breasts of over-hanging fat and score skin in a criss-cross pattern with a sharp knife. Season well with salt. Heat a dry fry-pan (no oil) on medium to high heat. Cook duck breasts, skin-side-down, for 6 minutes on medium heat until most of the fat has rendered out and the skin is a deep golden brown. Flip duck breasts over and cook flesh-side for 4–5 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside, covered with tin foil to rest for 5–10 minutes.

Step 5

4 Keep 1 tablespoon of duck fat in the pan and discard the rest. Return pan to medium heat and stir-fry garlic and ginger for 30 seconds, add red wine and simmer for 1 minute until reduced by half. Add plum jam, soy sauce and honey, stir well to dissolve the jam and simmer until slightly thickened, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 6

5 Toss spring onions and coriander through noodles. Thinly slice duck.

Step 7

to serve, divide noodles between plates. Top with sliced duck and drizzle over plum sauce. Sprinkle with coriander leaves.