Sweet and Soy Duck with Pickled Cucumber
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Serves 2
10 mins prep time
25 mins cook time
recipe courtesy of our friends at Abel & Cole
Sweet and Soy Duck with Pickled Cucumber is a bold, flavourful dish that beautifully balances rich, savoury duck with sweet, sticky soy glaze and a refreshing, tangy crunch from pickled cucumber. It’s an elegant yet comforting meal, perfect for dinner parties or a satisfying midweek treat.
The duck is the star of the dish, typically prepared as duck breast and cooked until the skin is crisp and golden while the meat remains tender and juicy. Scoring the skin allows the fat to render slowly, creating a beautifully crisp texture that contrasts with the soft, succulent flesh beneath. The duck is then glazed in a sweet soy sauce mixture, which may include honey, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and a splash of rice vinegar or mirin for depth.
As the glaze reduces, it becomes glossy and sticky, coating the duck in a rich layer of sweet and savoury flavour. The combination of soy and sweetness enhances the natural richness of the duck without overpowering it, creating a perfectly balanced taste profile.
Pickled cucumber provides a fresh and zesty contrast to the richness of the duck. Thinly sliced cucumbers are lightly pickled in vinegar, sugar, and salt, sometimes with chilli or sesame for extra flavour. This quick pickle adds crunch, acidity, and a cooling effect that cuts through the richness of the dish.
To serve, the sliced duck is drizzled with extra glaze and paired with the pickled cucumber, often alongside steamed rice or noodles to complete the meal. Garnishes such as spring onions or sesame seeds add freshness and texture.
Sweet and Soy Duck with Pickled Cucumber is a harmonious dish that combines indulgence with brightness, offering layers of flavour in every bite and a satisfying balance of sweet, savoury, and tangy notes.
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Ingredients
You'll Need
- 2 duck breasts
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 orange, juice and zest
- 1 thumb of ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 6 cloves, finely ground
- 1 cucumber
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
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Method
- Preheat your oven grill to high or your oven to 200°C/Gas 6.
- Put a frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Score the fat of your duck breasts. Start by cutting diagonally lines, just into the fat (not the flesh) of your duck, about 2cm apart. Do the same in the opposite direction, making a criss-cross pattern.
- Mix the soy sauce, honey and zest and juice of your orange. Stir in your ginger, garlic and ground cloves. Pour the marinade over the fleshy side of your duck. Massage it in.
- Shake off any excess marinade. Place the duck, fat side down, in the hot frying pan. There’s no need for oil as the duck has plenty of fat, which melts out beautifully when cooking.
- Cook for about 5 mins, or till the skin is golden. Flip. Pour in the remaining marinade. Pop into the preheated oven. Cook for 10 mins for rare, 15 mins for medium-rare and 20 mins for medium-well. If going for the latter, check your pan half way through cooking and add a splash of water if needed.
- Thinly slice your cucumber. Dust with a 1 tsp of salt. Massage the salt into the cucumber, till the water is drawn out. Drain it. Pop it in a bowl. Put a jar or tin on top of the cucumber to weigh it down and draw more liquid out. Set aside while your duck cooks.
- Place your duck on a cutting board. Save the pan juices. Let the duck rest for as long as it cooked. Thinly slice onto a plate. Spoon the pan juices over.
- Drain the cucumbers. Taste. If they’re too salty, pop in a sieve and rinse under cold water. Serve the pickles alongside the duck.