Szechuan peppered duck breast

Serves 2

You can find Szechuan peppercorns in most good supermarkets. It's one of the most exciting Asian spices – but use them sparingly.

2 duck breasts, skin left on
1tsp Szechuan pepper lightly crushed
Salt
1tbsp sesame oil
1 clove garlic peeled and crushed
Small piece of root ginger, scraped and finely shredded
4 spring onions shredded on the angle
150g small pak choi or any other Chinese greens
1tbsp soy sauce
Few sprigs of coriander, roughly chopped

Score the skin of the duck breasts with a sharp knife as closely together as possible. Season with salt and rub the Szechuan pepper into the skin. Heat a frying pan, place the duck breasts skin side down and cook on a medium heat for 4-5 minutes then turn them and cook for another 4-5 minutes, keeping the breasts nice and pink. Remove the breasts and leave to rest on a plate. Add the sesame oil to the frying pan and cook the ginger and garlic for 1-2 minutes on a medium heat. Then add the pak choi and spring onions, lightly season and cook on a high heat, stirring every so often, for 3-4 minutes. Then add the soy sauce and about 1 tablespoon of water and stir on a medium heat for about 30 seconds. Place the duck on a chopping board skin side down. Pour any duck juices into the pan of greens. Cut each breast into about 8 pieces on a slight angle. Spoon the greens on to warm serving plates and arrange the duck on top. Scatter sprigs of coriander over the duck.