This particular Hoisin duck brioche dish was inspired by a recent visit to Ruby, Exeter, where I enjoyed something very similar. Yep here I am dreaming of Ruby again! The restaurant used to be in Queen Street but they’ve relocated to the beach. I don’t blame them.
Well anyway the duck and hoisin are beautiful together, along with the cucumber, and although I am more used to enjoying this mixture in pancake wraps, I found the brioche really good with them, since brioche is naturally sweet and chewy, and just seemed to complement the hoisin duck flavors.
What Goes with Hoisin Duck Brioche?
I enjoyed this Hoisin duck brioche with a peanut butter wolf cocktail when I was at Ruby’s but you might prefer something else depending on what time of day you’re having it.
I enjoyed mine in between having the back window of our car smashed in and going to my father’s wake, so I felt the cocktail was justified at the time! Sometimes you just need some great food and a nice drink to take your mind off things.
Feel free to add other stuff to the buns if you wish, although I find the lettuce, green onions and cucumber to be enough contrast against the duck mixture. I ordered mac ‘n cheese on the side with this, which went very well in a ‘fusion’ kind of way! Ruby tell me they use a commercial smoker and duck legs, so my Hoisin duck brioche recipe is similar but not the same.
Hoisin Duck Brioche
Ingredients
- 2 skinless duck breasts (about 6 oz/175g each)
- Black pepper, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 fl oz (85ml) Hoisin sauce
- 4 brioche buns
- 4 lettuce leaves
- ½ bunch matchstick-cut green onions
- ¼ halved de-seeded cucumber, cut into matchsticks
- 4 pickles, to serve
- Fries, chips or mac 'n cheese to serve (optional)
Method
- Cut the duck into strips and toss in the pepper and 5-spice.
- Heat the oil in a wok and add the duck.
- Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until cooked through.
- Add the hoisin sauce and cook for another minute or until the duck is coated.
- Split the brioche buns and add the lettuce.
- Fill them with the duck mixture.
- Add the green onions and cucumber.
- Serve pickles on the side, if liked.
- Fries, chips or mac 'n cheese are good side dishes for this.
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