Deep Fried Steamed West Lake Duck Recipes

CHINATOWN STEAMED AND ROASTED DUCK

Steps:

• Duck is notoriously a fatty bird, to diminish the fat and produce a crispy skin, begin by trimming the excess fat from the neck and body. Rinse the duck, inside and out, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Combine the Chinese five-spice, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the duck, inside and out. Salt and five-spice powder makes a fragrant dry marinade, which draws some of the moisture from the duck so that the spices penetrate. Stuff the duck cavity with the aromatics: the ginger, garlic, green onions, and tangerine peel. Fold the wing tips back under the duck and tie the legs together with kitchen string. Poke the duck breast a few times, piercing the skin.
• Place a roasting pan on the stovetop over 2 burners and fill with 2-inches of water, turn the heat to medium. Set a V-rack insert inside the pan and lay the duck on the rack, breast-side up. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Steam the duck for 45 minutes, checking the water level periodically. Steaming the duck first melts away some of the fat and shrinks the skin.
• In a small saucepan combine the vinegar, honey, and soy sauce over low heat. Cook and stir for 5 minutes until thick. The duck will be lacquered with the sweet glaze, which caramelizes during roasting, making the skin crisp and brown.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Take the foil off the duck, remove the rack with the duck, and pour out the water and all the fat that has rendered out (this is great to use in other dishes like fried rice.) Put the rack with the duck back inside the roasting pan. Baste the duck with the vinegar mixture, until all the skin is completely coated in the glaze. Stick the whole thing in the oven. Roast the duck for 1 hour, basting periodically with any remaining glaze to set in a deep mahogany color. Tent the breast with some foil if it gets too dark. The legs will wiggle easily when it's done. Carve and serve.

DEEP-FRIED STEAMED DUCK WITH MUSHROOMS AND BAMBOO SHOOTS

Steps:

• 1. Separately soak dried mushrooms and tangerine peel. 2. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth. Dry well with paper toweling or hang up to dry in a cool, airy place 1 to 2 hours then rub with soy sauce. 3. Heat oil to boiling. Using a wire basket or long-handled Chinese strainer, gently lower in duck and deep-fry, basting and turning until golden. Drain on paper toweling and let cool. Then score bird along breastbone, but do not cut through bone. 4. Slice bamboo shoots and ginger root thin and combine with soaked mushrooms and tangerine peel. Mix well with star anise, salt, sugar and pepper. 5. Stuff mixture into duck cavity. Trim off scallion roots and cut celery stalks in 2 or 3 pieces add to cavity. Sew up securely or skewer. 6. Transfer bird to a deep heatproof bowl. Steam by the bowl-in-a-pot method until done (about 2 hours). See HOW-TO, _Steaming. 7. Drain duck, transferring liquids to saucepan. Let bird cool, then remove stuffing reserve mushrooms and bamboo shoots, but discard other ingredients. 8. Carefully cut off wings and legs. Then, with the hands, carefully separate meat from bones, starting with incision on breastbone. (Keep skin and natural shape of bird as intact as possible.) 9. Spread boned duck flat on a heatproof platter, skin-side down. Bone legs and place on top. Arrange mushrooms and bamboo shoots over duck. Steam 20 minutes more. 10. Cut lettuce in strips and arrange on a serving platter. Invert duck onto lettuce, skin-side up, with mushrooms and bamboo shoots underneath. 11. Gradually reheat duck liquids in saucepan. Meanwhile blend cornstarch, water, remaining soy sauce and salt to a paste then stir in to thicken liquids. Pour sauce over duck. Mince parsley and sprinkle over as a garnish. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

BASIC STEAMED DEEP FRIED DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth. Rub liberally with salt and pepper. Let stand 1 hour.2. Place bird in a deep, heatproof bowl and steam 1-1/2 to 2 hours by the bowl-in-a-pot method.3. Drain duck and let cool. Wipe dry, then truss.4. Heat oil in deep fryer to boiling. Using a wire basket or long-handled Chinese strainer, gently lower in duck and deep-fry, basting and turning, until golden. Drain on paper toweling.5. Let duck cool slightly, then chop, bones and all, in bite-size pieces.Serve with scallion brushes, a plum or hoisin sauce dip, or any other dip for deep-fried duck.NOTE: The technique of double-frying can be used here. In step 4, deep-fry the duck 5 minutes, lift out reheat the oil. Then return the bird and deep-fry again until crisp and golden.VARIATIONS:1. In Step 1, rub duck with any of the following mixtures:a. 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon anise pepper and 1/8 teaspoon Five Spicesb. 2 tablespoons sherry, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon red pepperc. 1-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown bean sauce, mashed and 1/2 teaspoon Five Spicesd. 1 to 2 scallion stalks and 3 or 4 slices fresh ginger root, both minced 1 tablespoon Szechwan peppercorns, crushed and 2 teaspoons salt2. In Step 2, before steaming, add to bowl with duck 2 scallion stalks and 2 or 3 slices fresh ginger root.3. In Step 3, before trussing duck, coat with a mixture of 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon soy sauce or 3 tablespoons flour and 1 egg, lightly beaten.

STEAMED DEEP-FRIED PRESSED DUCK

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.