Sweet and Sour Duck

Instructions

1. Prepare the duck
   Pat duck breasts dry with paper towels. Score the skin in a diamond pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. Season both sides with five-spice powder, salt, and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
2. Cook the duck
   Place duck breasts skin-side down in a cold, dry skillet. Turn heat to medium-low and cook for 8-10 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden. Flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes for medium-rare, or to desired doneness. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
3. Make the sauce
   In a bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, and the cornstarch mixture until well combined. Set aside.
4. Sauté the vegetables
   In a wok or large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of duck fat (reserved from cooking the duck) over high heat. Add garlic and ginger, stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add bell peppers and stir-fry for 2 minutes until slightly softened but still crisp.
5. Combine with sauce
   Add pineapple chunks to the wok and stir-fry for 1 minute. Pour in the sweet and sour sauce mixture and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about 1-2 minutes.
6. Finish the dish
   Slice the rested duck breasts thinly against the grain. Arrange on serving plates and spoon the sweet and sour sauce with vegetables over the duck. Serve immediately with steamed rice.