Crispy duck, bok choi and black beans with a lime and ginger dressing recipe

Ditch the takeaway and get cooking this fresh crispy duck with bok choi instead

Richard: "This is a dish that’s all about the balance between sweetness, acidity and spiciness. Lime and ginger is a delicious combination that works really well with the duck. You won’t need any oil in the pan because scoring the meat lets the fat out and crisps up the outside so all you’re left with at the end is crispy skin and succulent meat, no fat"

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

4 duck breasts, skin very thinly scored at an angle
2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and thinly sliced
1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
4 baby bok choi, cut in half lengthways
20g fermented black beans
1 tbsp roughly torn Thai basil

For the lime and ginger dressing

2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
2 tbsp caster sugar
3 tbsp soy sauce
Juice and zest of 1 unwaxed lime
1 lime, peeled, halved and flesh cut into segments
6 spring onions, trimmed and thinly cut on an angle

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas mark 6. Place a large ovenproof frying pan over a low heat and lay the scored duck breasts, skin side down, in the pan. Slowly turn the heat up under the pan to render off the fat – keeping this aside in a small jug or bowl – and make sure the skin is crispy.
Once the skin is crispy, either keep the duck breasts in the pan or transfer them to an oven dish, skin side down. Put the pan or dish in the preheated oven for 6–8 minutes. You want them to still be pink in the middle. Once cooked, remove from the oven and rest for a further 6–8 minutes, retaining the juices that have come out of the duck breasts.
Pour the reserved rendered duck fat into a hot frying pan or wok, then add the ginger, garlic and chilli and cook for 2 minutes over a high heat. Put the bok choi into the pan, and when it has wilted remove the pan from the heat and stir in the black beans, mashing them with a spoon, and the Thai basil. If the pan becomes too dry, add a little water.
To make the lime and ginger dressing, place the ginger, sugar and 50ml of water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and add the soy sauce, lime juice and zest, plus the reserved duck roasting juices. Remove the pan from the heat and add the lime segments.
Cut the duck breasts into slices on an angle and arrange with the bok choi on each plate. Drizzle over the lime and ginger dressing and garnish with the spring onions.