Red Cooked Duck Recipes

Steps:

• Remove the tenderloins (the thin strips of meat on undersides of the duck breast) and reserve for the sauce. With a sharp knife, trim away any gristle from the undersides of the breasts and trim any excess fat. Score the skin in a diamond pattern, cutting through the fat but not quite reaching the meat. Lightly sprinkle salt on both sides, then rub 1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns all over. Sprinkle with the garlic and a few thyme sprigs, cover, and leave at room temperature for 1 hour. (For deeper flavor, refrigerate the breasts for several hours or overnight, then return to room temperature before cooking.)
• Heat 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and the reserved duck tenderloins; let them brown well, stirring occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and a small thyme sprig and let them fry for 1 minute.
• Add the broth and 1/4 cup wine, raise the heat to a brisk simmer and let the liquid reduce to about 1 1/4 cups, about 10 minutes. Strain the sauce and return to the heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons red wine and the Cognac or brandy and cook for 1 minute more. Dissolve potato starch in 2 tablespoons cold water, then stir the mixture into the sauce. Whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Season to taste with salt. (Sauce may be made in advance and reheated, thinned with a little broth.)
• Remove and discard the garlic and thyme sprigs from the breasts. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high. When the pan is hot, lay in the duck breasts, skin-side down, and let them sizzle. Lower the heat to medium and cook for a total of 7 minutes, checking to make sure the skin isn't browning too quickly. With tongs, turn the breasts over and let them cook another 3 minutes for rare, 4 to 5 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to a warm platter and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice crosswise, not too thickly, at a slight angle and serve with the sauce.

Steps:

• Prepare bean curd: In a saucepan combine water, 1/4 cup of the soy sauce and five-spice powder. Add bean curd and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and let bean curd marinate in liquid, 1 hour. Using a slotted spoon, place bean curd in one layer on a plate lined with paper towels. Reserve cooking liquid. Cover bean curd with more towels, then weight with 5-pound weight. Bean curd must be pressed under weight at least 5 hours, or refrigerated with weight up to 24 hours.
• Prepare duck: In a nonreactive bowl mix duck with garlic, the remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup of the Shao Hsing and sugar. Marinate overnight.
• Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium-high heat. Add duck, skin-side down, and cook 5 minutes, or until well-browned. Turn and cook 2 minutes more. Remove duck to a plate and discard rendered fat. Place pan over high heat, and add remaining 1/2 cup Shao Hsing and reserved bean curd cooking liquid, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Add ginger, scallions, chili peppers and star anise and bring to a boil. Place duck pieces in a sand pot (or an enamelware or cast iron pot) skin-side up. Using a slotted spoon, transfer ginger, scallions and spices to pot and scatter over duck pieces. Pour cooking liquid over duck to barely cover. You may not need to use all liquid. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer, basting occasionally, 1 hour. (If you use a sand pot, read instructions carefully. Be sure to use a flame tamer to prevent pot from cracking.)
• Just before serving slice pressed bean curd into 1/4-inch thick slices. Add bean curd to pot and simmer 1 minute to heat through. In a cup, dissolve cornstarch in water to consistency of heavy cream. Using a slotted spoon, divide duck, bean curd and aromatics among 6 plates. Bring cooking liquid to a boil and add cornstarch mixture, stirring well until thickened. Taste for seasoning, then spoon sauce over duck.

Steps:

• Combine honey, soy sauce, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes.
• In a large saucepan, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Meanwhile, remove giblets and neck from duck cavity and discard (or reserve for another use). Cut off excess fat from cavity and neck area, then cut off tail. (This helps balance the duck vertically over the beer can.)
• Using your fingers, carefully separate the skin from the breast meat through the bottom of the breasts and work your fingers upward to separate the skin from the meat (be careful not to tear skin). Next, separate the skin from the backbone through the neck and working your way down until you reach the legs. (Scissors are helpful, but be careful to avoid piercing the skin.) Transfer duck to a rack set in the sink.
• Using a ladle or measuring cup, pour half of the boiling water evenly over top of the duck. Flip duck and pour the remaining water evenly all over second side. Tilt duck to drain all water from the cavity, then pat dry with paper towels.
• In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder with 1 teaspoon salt, the black pepper and 1 tablespoon of the glaze. Rub the mixture inside the cavity. Stand duck vertically by inserting beer can into cavity and place in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Using a pastry brush, brush the remaining glaze all over the duck and sprinkle evenly with remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Place duck in the refrigerator, uncovered, until the skin feels dry and leathery, 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees with rack in bottom third of oven. Remove duck from refrigerator, and add 1 1/2 cups water to the pan. Wrap wing tips and tips of drumsticks with foil to prevent burning, then loosely tent duck with foil. Roast for 15 minutes. Decrease temperature to 350 degrees and roast, tented with foil, until skin is mahogany and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes more, adding more water to the pan if needed.
• Leaving duck on the can, transfer duck vertically to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes. Carve the crispy skin from the back and legs of the duck, and slice into strips.
• Carefully remove duck from the beer can and return to cutting board. Carve off the breasts and legs; thinly slice the breasts and shred dark meat.
• Carefully strain pan juices into a small bowl and pour off all the fat. In another small bowl, whisk together the hoisin, sesame oil and up to 1/4 cup of the pan juices to form sauce.
• To serve, spread 1 tablespoon prepared sauce on each tortilla. Top each with some scallions, cucumbers, duck meat and crispy skin. Roll up and enjoy warm.

Steps:

• In a large freezer bag, combine wine, chili oil, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, orange juice and orange rind. Mix well and add duck breasts. Seal bag and mix again. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
• Remove duck from marinade and shake off excess liquid. Heat and lightly oil a grill, ridged skillet or heavy flat skillet. Cook duck breasts to taste, turning frequently, 10 to 15 minutes. If desired, cooked breasts may be wrapped in foil and held for 10 minutes until serving.
• To serve, thinly slice breasts diagonally and arrange on a serving plate. Pour any juices in pan or foil on top. Garnish with chives, and serve.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Dry-fry the duck legs in an ovenproof frying pan or casserole dish on a low heat for a good 10-15 mins, turning once, until coloured all over. Remove from the pan. Add the sugar to the fat in the pan and cook until caramelised, then add the curry paste and cook for few mins until fragrant. Stir in the coconut milk and half a can of water. Simmer and stir until everything is combined, then add the fish sauce and lime leaves.
• Slip in the duck legs, cover the pan and cook in the oven for 1½ hrs until the duck is really tender. Lift the duck legs into a serving dish and remove fat from the sauce, if you like. The curry can be prepared to this stage up to 2 days ahead and left in the fridge, in which case it will be easier to remove the fat.
• Place the pan back on the heat, add the pineapple and simmer for 2 mins. Adjust the seasoning, adding more fish sauce for salt, and more sugar for sweetness. At the last moment, stir through half the chilli and half the Thai basil leaves, if using, pour over the duck, then scatter with the rest of the chilli and basil. Serve with jasmine rice