Liquid-filled roast duck

4 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
Duck

Directions

1. Wipe duck with a damp cloth. Dry with paper toweling. Hang bird in a cool, airy place 1 to 2 hours, or until its skin is dry.

2. Rub duck lightly, inside and out, with soy sauce or salt.

3. Tie neck of duck tightly with string to close it off. (The packaged duck in supermarkets cannot be used for this recipe: its head and neck must be intact.) Place bird tail-side up in a deep bowl and pour into its cavity any of the filling mixtures listed below.

4. Sew up the cavity securely or skewer so that the mixture cannot leak out. Meanwhile preheat oven to 400 degrees.

5. Place duck on a rack over a drip pan containing several inches of water. Roast 20 minutes; then pour off fat. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast until done, allowing about 25 minutes per pound. During the last 30 minutes of roasting, reduce heat to 300 degrees. (Add water to drip pan as it evaporates.) Throughout roasting, baste duck at 20-minute intervals with any of the basting mixtures below.

6. Let duck cool slightly. Then place in a bowl and snip threads or unskewer so liquid will drain into bowl. Bone duck and cut in 1- by 2-inch sections (each with some skin). Strain liquid and reheat. Pour over duck and serve hot; or serve duck cold without sauce.

NOTE: This dish, called Cantonese Roast Duck, can also be purchased whole or in pieces at Chinese food stores. When buying, always ask for some of the liquid filling or "juice," which is delicious.

MIXTURES FOR FILLING:

a. Combine 2 scallion stalks, cut in 1-inch sections; 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 cup water, heated.

b. Combine in a saucepan 1 garlic clove and 2 slices fresh ginger root, both minced; 2 scallion stalks, cut in ½-inch sections; 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons sugar, 2 tablespoons sherry and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Add 1 cup stock or water. Bring to a boil.

c. Combine in a saucepan 1 tablespoon brown bean sauce, mashed; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 scallion stalk, minced; 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil.

d. Combine in a saucepan 2 cloves garlic and 2 slices fresh ginger root, both crushed; 1 tablespoon salt cabbage and 1 piece tangerine peel (both soaked); 1 tablespoon brown bean sauce, mashed; 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sherry, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon honey and 2 cups stock. Bring to a boil.

e. Combine in a saucepan 2 or 3 cloves garlic and 2 or 3 slices fresh ginger root, both crushed; 1 cup water, 1 cup sherry, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil and 2 teaspoons sugar. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes.

f. Heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add 1 garlic clove and 1 scallion stalk, both minced; ½ teaspoon ground star anise, and 1 teaspoon Szechwan peppercorns. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 cups water, bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sherry and 1 teaspoon sugar.

g. Heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 4 scallion stalks and 1 or 2 slices fresh ginger root, both minced. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes.

Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Stir in and heat ¾ cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons sherry, 1 teaspoon salt, and a dash of pepper.

h. Heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add 4 tablespoons scallions and 4 tablespoons celery stalk, both minced; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add 2 cups water and bring to aboil. Stir in ½ cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 clove star anise and

½ teaspoon cinnamon.

MIXTURES FOR BASTING:

a. Combine 2 cups boiling water, ¼ cup honey, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce.

b. Combine 2 cups boiling water, ½ cup honey and ¼ cup soy sauce.

NOTE: Instead of basting, combine ½ cup soy sauce and ¼ cup honey and pour over duck 6 times or more to coat before roasting.

From <The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook>, ISBN 0-517-65870-4. Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe Archive, .

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