Steamed Duck With Five Kinds Of Sauce Recipes

DEEP-FRIED STEAMED WEST LAKE DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Soak dried mushrooms. 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. 3. Rub duck lightly with soy sauce. Then truss (see HOW-TO, _Poultry: To truss). 4. 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 quickly. Rinse in a pan of cold water and drain again. Untie duck. 5. Transfer bird to a large heatproof bowl. Dice giblets slice ginger root and add, along with star anise. Combine sherry, salt, honey and remaining soy sauce and pour over. Meanwhile boil water in another pan, and also pour over duck. 6. Steam by the bowl-in-a-pot method until duck is done, but stil1 firm (about 1 3/4 hours). See HOW-TO, _Steaming. 7. Remove duck and let cool. Bone then cut meat in bite-size squares, each with a piece of skin. Strain duck liquid, skimming off fat. 8. Return duck squares, skin-side up, to heatproof bowl. Add strained duck liquid and steam 15 minutes more. 9. Meanwhile shred bamboo shoots, celery and soaked mushrooms. In a saucepan, bring remaining duck liquid to a boil. Add shredded vegetables and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. 10. Cut smoked ham in strips. Chop Chinese parsley. Blend cornstarch and cold water to a paste and stir into duck liquid to thicken. Pour over duck squares and serve, garnished with ham strips and chopped parsley. NOTE: This recipe can be made with chicken as well as duck. VARIATIONS: * In step 5, omit the seasonings given and pour over duck and giblets the following mixture: 1 1/2 cups stock 1 slice fresh ginger root and 1 clove garlic, both minced and 1 cup canned button mushrooms. Also omit the water. * In step 10, arrange duck squares on a serving platter over 1 head lettuce, shredded or over 1 pound of any of the following: asparagus, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, mushrooms, mustard greens, onions or spinach. (These must be stir-fried first.) The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

STEAMED AND ROASTED WHOLE DUCK

Steps:

• To reduce 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.
• Bring to a boil and simmer and stir for 15 minutes until sauce thickens.
• 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.
• 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.

STEAMED DUCK WITH FIVE KINDS OF SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth. Score bird along backbone, but do not cut through bone. 2. In a very large bowl, combine soy, plum, oyster, sweet vegetable, brown bean and hot sauces. Add salt, honey, Five Spices and pepper and blend well. Rub mixture over duck, inside and out. Then place duck in bowl with remaining mixture, and refrigerate, covered, overnight. 3. Drain duck, reserving marinade. Transfer bird to a large heatproof bowl and steam 1 1/2 hours by the bowl-in-a-pot method (see HOW-TO, _Steaming). Drain duck, let cool slightly, then bone. 4. Dice duck giblets and place in a saucepan with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Meanwhile shred lettuce and mince parsley. Arrange boned duck over lettuce. 5. Blend cornstarch and remaining cold water to a paste, then add to pan with giblets, stirring to thicken liquid. Pour giblet sauce over duck. Serve, garnished with minced parsley. VARIATION: * In step 3, place under the duck in heatproof bowl 2 pounds of either taro or potatoes, peeled and cubed then steam as directed. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

SEARED FIVE-SPICE DUCK BEAST WITH PLUM WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Marinate the duck breast with five-spice powder, ginger root, scallions, salt and pepper for at least 6 hours or overnight, covered and refrigerated.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat skillet on moderately high heat, do not add any oil. Sear duck breast skin side down, brown both sides. Transfer duck to oven proof plate and cook the duck in the oven for 10 minutes for medium rare. Pour off grease from the skillet, add plum wine, add duck stock, season with salt and pepper and reduce the sauce to 1 cup. Then incorporate the butter into the sauce and set aside and keep warm. Remove duck from oven let it sit for 5 minutes before slicing.

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.