Peking Duck Recipe 45

Steps:

• Combine 2 tablespoons of the Shaoxing wine with the soy sauce, salt and 1/8 teaspoon five-spice powder in a medium bowl. Add the duck breasts and massage the marinade into them. Place the breasts, side by side, on a plate and refrigerate, uncovered, for 12 to 36 hours; the skin will dry out and look leathery.
• Mix together the remaining 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, pinch five-spice powder and the hoisin sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed ovenproof pan over medium-low heat.
• Remove the duck from the refrigerator and score the skin in a cross-hatch pattern. Place the duck in the pan, skin-side down, and gently render fat; the skin will turn a rich golden brown as it cooks. When the duck stops emitting fat, after 8 to 10 minutes, flip the breasts skin-side is up and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the breasts reach an internal temperature of 135 degrees F for medium; they should be pink and firm in the center.
• Immediately remove the duck to a plate or carving board. Using a pastry brush, paint a thin layer of the hoisin mixture onto the skin. Let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
• To serve, slice the breasts at an angle, about 1/4-inch thick, and fan out on a plate. Top with sliced scallions.

Steps:

• Place all the honey syrup ingredients in a large pan with 1.2 litres water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 20 mins.
• Meanwhile, rinse the duck well, blot it completely dry with kitchen paper, then put it on a rack in a roasting tin. Using a ladle, pour the syrup over the duck several times until the skin is completely coated on all sides. Leave the duck to dry out, uncovered, in the fridge overnight. When the duck has dried, the skin should feel like parchment paper.
• Heat oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9. Sit the duck breast-side up on the rack in the roasting tin. Add 150ml water to the tin to prevent the fat from spattering, then roast in the oven for 15 mins. Reduce the heat to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and continue to roast for 1 hr 10 mins.
• Remove the duck from the oven and let it sit for at least 10 mins before you carve it. Using a cleaver or a sharp knife, cut the skin and meat into pieces and arrange them on a warm serving platter. Or, if you prefer, shred the meat using two forks.
• Serve at once with the pancakes, spring onions and a bowl of hoisin sauce.

Steps:

• Rinse the duck inside and out, and pat dry. Cut off tail and discard. In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, white pepper and cloves. Sprinkle one teaspoon of the mixture into the cavity of the duck. Stir one tablespoon of the soy sauce into the remaining spice mixture and rub evenly over the entire outside of the bird. Cut one of the green onions in half and tuck inside the cavity. Cover and refrigerate the bird for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
• Place duck breast side up on a rack in a big enough wok or pot and steam for an hour adding a little more water, if necessary, as it evaporates. Lift duck with two large spoons, and drain juices and green onion.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place duck breast side up in a roasting pan and prick skin all over using a fork.
• Roast for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. While the duck is roasting, mix together the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and honey. After 30 minutes, brush the honey mixture onto the duck and return it to the oven. Turn the heat up to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Roast for 5 minutes, or until the skin is richly browned. Do not allow the skin to char.
• Prepare the duck sauce by mixing the plum jam with the sugar, vinegar and chutney in a small serving bowl. Chop remaining green onions and place them into a separate bowl. Place whole duck onto a serving platter and garnish with orange slices and fresh parsley. Use plum sauce and onions for dipping.

Steps:

• Remove wing tips and feet from duck. Neck skin should be intact with only a tiny hole made about 2 inches above the base of the neck. Remove cavity fat and discard.
• Rinse the duck and massage the entire body by rubbing the skin back and forth, loosening it from the meat. Make sure skin is not punctured. Insert a bicycle pump hose into the neck hole. Keep cavity closed as you pump air into the duck -- inflating it until the skin is taut, rubbing and rolling the skin as it is being inflated to distribute air evenly. Insert a meat hook through the neck bone and hang to dry, in a cool place, for 1 hour.
• In a wok combine the boiling water, honey, rice wine, white vinegar, and cornstarch slurry, and stir until lightly thickened. Hold the duck by the hook and dip it in and out of the boiling water, turning it from side to side, while ladling water over the skin. Do this until the skin is well coated, about 1 minute. Then hang duck up to dry for at least 12 hours or overnight in a draft near a window or other breezy place, spreading paper on floor to catch drippings. If no cool area is available, hang duck from back of a chair and blow a fan on it for several hours. (Alternatively, set duck, unwrapped, on a rack with a pan underneath to catch drippings. Refrigerate, turning occasionally.)
• If your oven is large and tall, remove all racks except the top one. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cover a large pan with aluminum foil to reflect heat and to catch drippings and place the pan in the bottom of the oven. Hook the duck vertically over the top rack in the center of the oven over the drip pan. Roast for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and roast for 1 1/4 hours.
• (Alternatively, use a vertical roasting rack set in a roasting pan and roast as above. Or place the duck on a rack over the roasting pan in the middle of the oven and roast at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn breast side down and roast another 15 minutes. Turn again, reduce heat to 350 and roast for 3/4 hour.
• For the pancakes: Mix the flour with the boiling water until combined, and add 1 tablespoon cold water to mixture. Knead the dough for 4 minutes, or until soft and smooth. Let it rest for 30 minutes, covered with a bowl.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and knead it until smooth. Roll one portion into a 16-inch log and divide it into 16 pieces. Repeat with the remaining dough. Take each piece and stand it upright on the heel of your hand, round off the dough and then flatten it with your other hand into a circle 2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Paint surface of half of the pieces with pastry brush dipped in sesame oil; place remaining pieces on the oiled pieces, making 16 pairs. Using rolling pin roll the pairs into thin pancakes about 6 to 6 1/4 inches in diameter, rotating circles frequently to insure even thickness.
• Heat an unoiled frying pan until hot. Add 1 pair of cakes and fry 1 minute or until light brown spots appear underneath. Lift up the edges to check for spots. Turn them over and allow them to puff up, indicating they are done. Separate each pair into 2 pancakes. Repeat with remaining pancakes. Transfer the pancakes to a steamer and steam them for 5 to 10 minutes.
• To finish the duck: Put the duck in a wok with 4 to 6-inches of oil, heated to 375 degrees.. Ladle the oil over duck. Cook the duck in this fashion for 2 1/2 minutes per side to crisp the skin.
• Put the duck on a cutting board. Disjoint the wings and drumsticks and place them apart at either end of serving platter, outlining the form of a whole duck. With a razor sharp knife carve the skin on the duck with a very thin layer of meat, trying to make slices as large as possible. Transfer them to the platter. Remove all the meat from the carcass and cut it into strips about 1 * inches long. Arrange the meat strips in center of platter and then cut the strips of skin crosswise into comparable pieces. Lay these over meat.
• To eat: put a pancake on a plate, smear on some Hoisin sauce (with scallion brush if desired) and top with 1 or 2 pieces of skin, either on their own or with meat as well. Add a scallion brush and roll up the pancake.
• Suggested drink: Chinese Black Tea

Steps:

• Cut off duck wings at second joint, remove excess fat and skin, rinse and dry well. Insert a chopstick through the neck opening and force along the wing bone under the skin until it protrudes slightly at the second joint. Push other end along other wing so that you end up with a duck that has its arms straight out like a crucifix. Tie a string onto the middle of the stick so you can hold the duck and hang it up. Bring 6 cups of water to boil in a wok, over medium heat. Add maltose or honey and stir to dissolve. Stir in the sherry, vinegar and cornstarch slurry.
• When liquid returns to a boil, dip the duck into liquid and spoon liquid over duck. Repeat until duck is thoroughly moistened. Repeat dunking once more. Hang duck by the string in a cool airy place with a bowl underneath to catch drips. Leave for 4 to 6 hours until skin is dry and taught. Put roasting pan on lower oven rack and fill with 2 to 3 inches of water. Oil the upper rack above pan.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove the chopstick and string. Put duck on oiled rack in center of oven breast side up and cook for 30 minutes. Turn duck breast side down for 45 minutes, then turn breast side up for 30 minutes or until skin is dark brown. While duck is roasting, make scallion brushes. Trim roots, and cut off most of green part, leaving 3-inch pieces. Make several 1-inch lengthwise slits in each end of scallion, and put in a bowl of ice water for 20 minutes, drain and refrigerate. Mix hoisin with sesame oil and 1 tablespoon water, in a small serving bowl. Carve the duck, separate meat and skin. Place on a serving platter and surround with the scallion brushes. Serve the sauce with the duck.

Steps:

• For the duck: Prick the duck all over with a small knife or fork. Carefully pour hot water over the duck to rinse. Discard the hot water. Place the duck on a rack in a roasting pan and dry all over by patting it with paper towels. Sprinkle the duck with salt and pepper and leave it in the roasting pan until ready to cook.
• In a small bowl, mix together the honey, 6 tablespoons water, five-spice, soy sauce and brown sugar. Brush the duck all over, inside and out. Let dry for about 10 minutes and then brush again. Repeat this process until you have used all but 4 to 5 tablespoons of the glaze (reserve this glaze). Ideally, let the glaze marinate on the duck overnight, leaving it uncovered in the fridge.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the duck in the oven and cook for 45 minutes. Flip the duck over, baste with the reserved glaze and cook until the skin is crisp and golden brown, another 45 minutes. Make sure you check halfway through that it is not getting too dark. If it is getting too dark before half the cook time is up, turn your heat down and lower the rack in the oven. When the duck is cooked, remove from the oven and let rest while you make your sauce.
• For the sauce: In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water and set aside. Next, heat a pan or wok over medium heat and add the hoisin, sugar, sesame oil and soy sauce. When the sauce starts to bubble slightly, add the cornstarch mixture and stir well to thicken. Set aside and let cool. Carve and slice some duck. Place a teaspoon of the sauce in the center of each pancake, add a couple slices of duck, garnish with the scallions and cucumbers and serve immediately.