Pressed Duck White House Recipes

Steps:

• 1. Place the duck in a large pot; add water to cover. To the water, add the star anise, green onions, ginger root, soy sauces, salt. Cover, turn to high heat. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium, cook duck for 2 hours or until tender. Remove the duck; cool. Skin, debone, shred the duck meat.(Madame Wu adds as an aside here: "If, like many Chinese, you enjoy the skin, leave some of it on as it will produce a crisper texture when deep-fried.") 2. Pack the shredded duck into a square cooking pan to a 3/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle cornstarch generously over one side, then turn it over and do the same on the other side until completely coated. Heat water to boiling in the bottom of a steamer. Place the duck in the top section, cover, steam 30 minutes. Remove, cool; refrigerate overnight. 3. The next day, take the duck out of the refrigerator, cut into 4 quarters and drain on paper toweling so there will be no moisture to splatter. In a deep-fryer, heat the 2 quarts of vegetable oil to 350 degrees. Add the duck quarters, deep-fry for 10 minutes, then remove with slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Cut into 1-inch squares, place on a serving platter. 4. While the duck is deep-frying, prepare the sweet and sour sauce. Mix together the vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, red food coloring. Pour into a skillet; bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch and water blend, cook until the syrup thickens to the desired consistency. Pour the sauce over the duck, sprinkle with crushed almonds, serve immediately.

Steps:

• Cut ducklings lengthwise into halves. Trim fat from pork. Cut bamboo shoots lengthwise into thin strips. Cut green onions into 2-inch pieces cut pieces lengthwise into thin strips.Heat 2 quarts water, the soy sauce, gingerroot, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt and the five-spice powder to boiling in Dutch oven add duckling and pork. Heat to boiling reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1 1 /2 hours. Remove duckling and pork cool. Skim fat from broth. Reserve and refrigerate 1 cup broth. Remove bones from duckling, keeping meat and skin as intact as possible. Shred pork and any small pieces of remaining duckling meat from boning. Mix water chestnut flour, 1/3 cup cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir half of the flour mixture into shredded meat. Brush both sides of duckling halves with half of the egg whites. Sprinkle both sides of duckling with half of the remaining flour mixture. Place duckling halves, skin sides down, in greased square pan, 9 x 9 x 2 inches. Press shredded meat firmly and evenly on duckling halves. Brush with remaining egg whites sprinkle with remaining flour mixture. Place pan on rack in steamer cover and steam over boiling water 20 minutes. (Add boiling water if necessary.) Remove duckling from steamer cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until cold. Heat vegetable oil (1 1/2 inches) in wok to 350°. Fry almonds 1 minute or until light brown. Remove almonds from wok drain on paper towels. Chop almonds finely. Fry 1 duckling half at a time 5 minutes or until golden brown, turning once drain on paper towels. Cut each lengthwise into halves cut halves into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange on heated platter.Heat reserved broth, the chicken broth, bamboo shoots and oyster sauce to boiling. Mix 3 tablespoons cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water stir into broth mixture. Cook and stir until thickened pour over duckling. Sprinkle with almonds garnish with green onions.8 servings**Pressed Duck can be prepared in advance. After steaming, cover duck and reserved stock separately and refrigerate no longer than 24 hours. Just before serving, continue as directed above.From "Betty Crocker's New Chinese Cookbook." Text Copyright 2005 General Mills, Inc. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Steps:

• First prepare a consommé from the duck wings, necks, gizzards, and hearts. Put them in a saucepan with 2 cups water, 1 onion, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Strain and save the stock. Roast the ducks in a hot oven (425°F) for 30 minutes. Crush the duck livers and put them into a chafing dish with port and cognac. Cut the duck breasts into thin slices and put them in the chafing dish. Cut off the legs and set them aside. Crush the carcasses in a duck press to extract the juices. Pour duck consommé through the press. Pour the juices and consommé over the duck slices, livers, and the wine and cognac. Add the lemon juice. Cook in the chafing dish over a high flame for 20-25 minutes, stirring briskly until the sauce becomes thick and chocolate colored. Salt and pepper the pressed duck to taste. Serve hot. Broil the legs under medium heat for 10 minutes. Serve them separately as a second course.

Steps:

• Cut bass into 1-1/2-inch slices. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil for 10 minutes. Add bass and remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve on toasted bread.

Steps:

• 1. Blanch, toast and sliver almonds. 2. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth. Combine soy sauce, salt and sugar and rub over duck skin. Pour remainder into duck cavity, swishing it around to coat the interior. Drain off excess and discard. 3. Put duck in a deep heatproof bowl. Cut celery in 3 or 4 pieces trim off scallion roots and arrange over duck. Steam 2 hours by the bowl-in-a-pot method (see HOW-TO, _Steaming). 4. Drain duck, reserving liquid for stock. Let bird cool slightly then bone, leaving skin and original shape intact (see HOW-TO, _Duck: To bone). Transfer duck to a large flat plate or cutting board. 5. With both hands, press down on duck, flattening it to a 3/4-inch thickness. Then sprinkle generously on both sides with cornstarch. Return bird to heatproof bowl and steam 30 minutes more. Let cool, then cut in quarters. 6. Heat oil to boiling. Add duck, one quarter at a time, and deep-fry until golden. Drain on paper toweling. Let cool slightly then cut bird in 1 1/2-inch squares, each with some skin. Keep warm. 7. In a saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, catsup, hot sauce and remaining soy sauce and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring. Meanwhile blend remaining cornstarch and cold water to a paste, then stir in to thicken. 8. Shred lettuce and arrange on a serving platter with duck squares on top. Pour sauce over and serve, garnished with toasted almonds. NOTE: This dish is also known as War Shu Opp.The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.