Equipment
Ingredients
Duck & Cure
- 4 duck breasts, boneless, skin-on
- 30 g kosher salt
- 25 g brown sugar
- 5 g smoked paprika
- 5 g garlic powder
Pastrami Crust
- 20 g whole coriander seeds
- 15 g whole black peppercorns
- 5 g mustard seeds
Ginger Scallion Oil
- 40 g fresh ginger, finely grated or minced
- 4 scallions, finely minced
- 80 ml neutral oil
- 10 ml sherry vinegar
- 2 g salt
Smacked Cucumber Salad
- 6 persian cucumbers, washed
- 5 g salt
- 2 garlic, smashed and minced
- 15 ml soy sauce
- 15 ml black vinegar
- 5 ml sesame oil
- 5 g sugar
- 15 g chili crisp
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 363 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 28 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 3889 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 23 mg
- Potassium
- 581 mg
- Calcium
- 136 mg
- Iron
- 4.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 52 mg
- Phosphorus
- 156 mg
- Zinc
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 56 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 17 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 78 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.20 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.23 mg
- Niacin
- 2.3 mg
- Folate
- 33 mcg
- Water
- 110 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 0 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Score the duck skin in a cross-hatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. Combine kosher salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, and garlic powder in a small bowl.
Rub the cure mixture thoroughly over the duck breasts. Place on a rack or plate, cover loosely, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours to cure.
Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F. Toast coriander seeds, peppercorns, and mustard seeds in a dry pan until fragrant. Coarsely crack them in a mortar and pestle. Rinse the cure off the duck and pat extremely dry. Press the cracked spice mixture firmly into the skin side only.
Place duck breasts skin-side down in a cold, dry skillet. Turn heat to medium-low. Cook slowly to render fat and crisp the skin (about 10-12 minutes). Do not flip yet.
Flip the breasts and transfer the skillet to the oven (or transfer meat to a baking sheet). Roast until internal temperature reaches 54°C/129°F for medium-rare.
While duck rests (min 10 mins), prepare the cucumbers. Place cucumbers on a board and smack them with the flat of a cleaver or heavy pan until they split. Cut into bite-sized chunks. Toss with 5g salt and let sit for 10 minutes to drain excess water. Drain liquid before dressing.
Make the ginger oil: Place minced ginger and scallions in a heat-proof bowl with salt and white pepper. Heat neutral oil in a small pan until shimmering and just smoking, then carefully pour over the aromatics to sizzle. Stir in sherry vinegar.
Whisk soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, and garlic together. Toss with drained cucumbers and chili crisp. Slice duck breast thinly against the grain. Serve duck topped with ginger oil, with salad on the side.
Chef's Notes
- The 'smacking' technique for cucumbers creates jagged edges that hold dressing far better than clean knife cuts.
- Do not discard the rendered duck fat from the pan; strain it and use it to roast potatoes or vegetables later.
- For the most authentic pastrami flavor, ensure the coriander and black pepper are cracked coarsely, not ground to a powder. You want texture.
- Resting the duck is critical. If sliced immediately, the juices will run out and the meat will be dry.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store duck and cucumbers separately. Cucumbers lose crunch after 24 hours.
Freezer: 2 months — Duck only. Freezing affects texture of cooked breast.
Reheating: Sear duck skin-side down briefly to warm; do not microwave.
Troubleshooting
Duck skin is soggy or chewy
Cause: Pan was too hot initially (searing meat before fat rendered) or overcrowding
Fix: Place skin-side up under a broiler for 1-2 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning spices
Prevention: Start in a cold pan and use medium-low heat to allow gradual fat rendering
Duck is too salty
Cause: Cure was not rinsed off thoroughly
Fix: Serve with unseasoned rice or increase the acidity in the cucumber salad to balance
Prevention: Rinse under cold water for 30 seconds and pat completely dry
Cultural Context
This dish bridges the gap between the Jewish delicatessen and the Sichuan cold appetizer table. It treats the rich, fatty duck breast similarly to beef brisket, using the iconic coriander-pepper bark of pastrami, while the cooling smacked cucumbers and ginger oil provide the acidity and freshness typical of Chinese poultry dishes like 'Bai Zhan Ji' (White Cut Chicken).
