White Simmered Roast Duck With Tangerine Peel Recipes

WHITE-SIMMERED ROAST DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wipe duck with a damp cloth, then dry well with paper toweling. Truss duck (see HOW-TO, _Poultry: To truss). 2. Place duck on a rack over a drip pan containing several inches of water. Roast until lightly browned (about 20 minutes). 3. Transfer duck to a heavy pan. Mince ginger root and add with water and salt. Bring to a boil then simmer, covered, 1 hour. (If duck becomes too dry, add more boiling water.) Skim off fat. 4. Cut Chinese cabbage stems in 2-inch pieces. Place on top of duck and simmer 1 hour more. NOTE: If the dish is prepared through step 3, then refrigerated, the fat will congeal and can be removed easily. The duck is then reheated and the cabbage added as in step 4. 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 (see HOW-TO, _Steaming). 3. Drain duck and let cool. Wipe dry, 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 on paper toweling. 5. Let duck cool slightly, then chop, bones and all, in bite-size pieces. Serve with scallion brushes (see HOW-TO, _Onion Brushes: To make), a plum or hoisin sauce dip, or any other dip for deep-fried duck (see Seasonings and Sauces, Deep-Fried Duck Dip). 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: * In step 1, rub duck with any of the following mixtures: 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon anise pepper and 1/8 teaspoon Five Spices 2 tablespoons sherry, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown bean sauce, mashed and 1/2 teaspoon Five Spices 1 to 2 scallion stalks and 3 or 4 slices fresh ginger root, both minced 1 tablespoon Szechwan peppercorns, crushed and 2 teaspoons salt * In step 2, before steaming, add to bowl with duck 2 scallion stalks and 2 or 3 slices fresh ginger root. * 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. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

WHITE-SIMMERED DUCK WITH TANGERINE PEEL

Steps:

• 1. Soak tangerine peel. 2. Wipe duck with a damp cloth. Place in a heavy pan with cold water to cover and bring to a boil. Meanwhile cut scallions in 2 or 3 sections, slice ginger root then add to pan along with soaked tangerine peel. 3. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until duck is tender (about 1 1/2 hours). Season with salt and pepper during the last 5 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid for stock. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

WHITE-SIMMERED ROAST DUCK WITH TANGERINE PEEL

Steps:

• 1. Soak tangerine peel. 2. Wipe duck inside and out with a damp cloth. Dry with paper toweling or hang up to dry in a cool airy place 1 to 2 hours. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. 3. Rub soy sauce, then peanut oil, over duck skin. Put star anise inside duck cavity. Place bird on a rack over a drip pan containing several inches of water. Roast to brown lightly (about 20 minutes), turning duck once. Meanwhile bring water to a boil. 4. Transfer duck to a large heavy pan. Mince ginger root and soaked tangerine peel and add, along with salt and boiling water to cover. Simmer, covered, 1 1/2 hours. 5. Drain duck, reserving liquid. Let bird cool slightly then either chop in bite-size pieces, or carve Western-style. Shred lettuce and arrange duck on top. Keep warm. 6. Strain duck liquid, then bring to a boil. Stir in remaining soy sauce and salt. Blend cornstarch and cold water to a paste, then stir in to thicken liquid. Serve as a dip with duck. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

RED-COOKED DUCK WITH TANGERINE PEEL

Steps:

• 1. Soak tangerine peel. 2. Wipe duck with a damp cloth and chop, bones and all, in 2-inch sections. Meanwhile bring water to a boil in a heavy pan. 3. Add duck and soaked tangerine peel. Bring to a boil again, then simmer, covered, 1 hour. Discard tangerine peel. 4. Meanwhile slice mushrooms then add, along with soy sauce, salt and pepper. Simmer, covered, 20 minutes more. 5. Shred smoked ham. Serve duck hot, garnished with ham. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

*DUCK

Steps:

• Duck cooked the Chinese way can be roasted, braised, red-simmered, white-simmered, steamed or deep-fried. It can also be preserved by salting or drying (and eaten with congee), or cured and smoked (and used as a flavoring like smoked ham).In northern China, duck is first inflated with air, then roasted to make its skin crisp and wonderful. In the South, it is filled with liquid seasonings before roasting to make it savory. The former is Peking Duck the latter, Cantonese duck. The Cantonese version, available ready-cooked in Chinese grocery stores, can be stir-fried briefly with vegetables or made festive with a sweet-and-pungent sauce. It can also be eaten cold at picnics. The familiar pressed duck calls for a combination of cooking techniques: the bird is steamed, boned, pressed flat and deep-fried. (Although there are special presses for this purpose, the Chinese usually press the duck by hand.)TIPS ON COOKING DUCK: Always be sure the oil sacs above the tail are removed. If they aren't, cut a 1 1/2-inch slit at the back of the tail and remove them. When a recipe calls for breast and leg meat, use the remainder of the bird (bones, neck, lower wings and lower legs) for soup or congee. Use the same duck three ways: First roast the whole duck and serve its drumsticks and upper wings as one dish. Then stir-fry the breast meat with vegetables, or serve it cold with pineapple. Use the remainder for congee, as above. (The Chinese call this "three-in-one duck" and serve it either at the same meal or at separate meals.) Prepare braised, steamed or simmered duck a day ahead then refrigerate it so that the fat will congeal and can be easily lifted off. Carve or cut up the duck (see HOW-TO, "__Duck, Cooked - To bone and carve" or "__Duck, Cooked - To cut up") and reheat at the last moment in its own sauce. Defrost frozen ducks completely before using them. Remove the large pieces of fat from the duck cavity and discard. Pour boiling water over the duck to cover and let stand 10 to 15 minutes (this will shrink the skin). Rinse duck in lukewarm water. If bird is to be roasted, dry well inside and out. Test the duck to see if it's done by moving one of its legs up and down. When the leg moves easily in its joint, the duck is ready.The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.