Chinese Duck With Pancakes Recipes

Steps:

• The duckHeat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Mix the honey and five-spice in a bowl, then brush all over the duck. Transfer to a roasting tin and roast for 25-30 mins until bronzed. Cool for 10 mins, then shred the meat and finely slice the skin.
• Plum sauceWhile the duck is cooking, put all the plum sauce ingredients in a saucepan and simmer gently over a medium heat for 15 mins or until the plums are soft and the sauce is thick. Using a stick blender, blend until smooth.
• PancakesWhile the sauce is cooking, put the flour, 125ml boiling water and a pinch of salt in a bowl and mix together until it forms a dough. When cool enough to handle, knead for 5-10 mins. Divide it into 10 little balls and roll each one out as thin as you can. Brush a frying pan with the oil and cook each pancake over a medium heat for 20 secs each side or until cooked but not browned.
• To serveSpread a pancake with a little plum sauce. Top with the shredded duck, a few pieces of cucumber and spring onion.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Loosen the skin on the duck by wriggling first your fingers, then your hand between it and the flesh until it pulls away - be careful not to break the skin. Trim off any excess fat from cavity and skin around the neck. Rub the skin all over with the five-spice plus a good sprinkling of salt. Put the duck in a roasting tin and push the star anise, orange peel and orange halves inside. Spoon the vinegar, rice wine and stock into the cavity, don't worry if it spills out again. Cover the roasting tin with a tent of foil and cook for 2 hrs.
• Turn oven up to 240C/220C fan/gas 7. Take foil off, pour off any juices (keep for the noodles, see 'Goes well with') and return duck to the oven for 30-40 mins or until the skin is browned and crisp.
• Once cooked let it rest for 10 mins. Slice off the breasts and shred meat and skin. Pile onto a plate, keeping meat and skin separate. Keep warm in a low oven, covering meat with foil to stop it drying out but skin uncovered to crisp it further. (Remove the rest of the meat in chunks for the noodles - see 'Goes well with'.)
• Heat the pancakes and serve the duck with accompaniments.

Steps:

• In a tall stock pot (tall/big enough to submerge a duck completely), mix the water, vinegar, molasses, soy and star anise and bring to a brisk boil. Meanwhile, cut the head and feet off of the duck and make a slit at the base of the neck to insert the air pump. While holding the rear of the duck tightly sealed, turn on the pump to separate the skin from the meat. The air must travel all the way down the legs. Set blown up ducks aside. Mix the salt and 5-spice together and season the duck inside and out. In a large bowl, mix the oranges, scallions and ginger. Stuff the ducks full of the mix and thread the skewer through the bottom flaps to seal. Hook or tie the ducks by the neck and dip 3 times in the boiling glaze. Hang in the refrigerator or cool place over night (ideally use a rotating fan to keep the air circulating which will more efficiently dry the skin). The next day, pre-heat an oven to 375 degrees and place ducks on a rack (on a sheet tray) and roast for 1 hour, breast side up. A lot of fat will render off so be careful when removing. Carve up ducks and serve with pancakes, scallion brushes and hoisin-lime sauce.
• PANCAKES:
• Place the flour in a mixing bowl and quickly add the boiling water and mix as rapidly as possible. Add the oils and work into the dough, Mix for 2 to 3 minutes until the dough is homogenous and pliable. Let rest 5 minutes. Roll out the dough into a long cylinder, 2 inches in diameter. Cut into 8 to 10 pieces. Turn each piece on its flat side and roll out on a floured surface with a rolling pin to about 5 to 6 inches. In a skillet on low-medium, coat lightly with peanut oil and color both sides brown, small bubbles will form. Keep covered with a damp, hot cloth. These may be done in advance, then steamed hot for service.
• HOISIN-LIME SAUCE:
• In a skillet on medium heat, add the oil to coat. Add the hoisin and stir, it should sizzle and bubble. Cook for only 1 minute then add the juice and stir. Transfer to a small serving dish.
• PLATING Lay out carved duck on a platter. Serve with hoisin-lime, scallions brushed (to brush on the hoisin) and pancakes.

Steps:

• Prepare the ducks. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Mix 1/4 cup of the rice vinegar with the honey and brush the ducks all over with this mixture.
• Place the ducks in a roasting pan and roast them about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour off the accumulated fat. Give the ducks a quarter turn and return to the oven. Repeat this process for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the ducks are dark golden brown on all sides. Remember to pour off the rendered fat each time you turn them. When completely cooked, transfer the ducks to another pan and let them rest so that the fat continues to drain from the insides.
• Meanwhile, in a saucepan, reduce the plum wine with the mint sprigs and orange peel to a glaze. Add the vinegar and reduce it by two thirds. Add the plum puree and reduce it by half, until the flavor is quite intense. Add the demi-glace and continue to reduce the mixture by half, or until it is thickened slightly and tastes delicious. Over very low heat whisk in the butter, a little at a time. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. Strain the sauce and keep it warm.
• Remove the breasts and legs from the duck. Place them on a grill or under a broiler or salamander until the skin is crispy.
• Slice the duck breasts into medallions. Separate the legs and thighs; arrange half a duck attractively on each plate. Sauce the duck with the plum sauce. Decorate each plate with a scallion-filled Chinois Pancake.
• Place the plums, wine and berries in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer until the plums are soft, about 15 minutes. Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor and strain it through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to 1 cup. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, egg and sesame oil. Whisk in the milk, then unless your batter is completely lump free, strain into another bowl. (The batter should be the consistency of heavy cream). If the batter is too thick, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you get the desired consistency.
• Stir in the ginger, garlic and scallion.
• Heat the butter in a non-stick crepe pan over moderate heat. Add 2 tablespoons batter, then swirl the pan to coat the bottom with batter. Cook the pancake over high heat until golden brown. Turn it over and brown the other side. Remove from the pan and keep warm. Repeat the process until all the batter is used.
• Cut each pancake in half, place a scallion on each and roll into a cone shape.