Recipe - Liquid-Filled Roast Duck

Duck

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 tailside 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 20minute 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 2inch
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 1inch 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 1/2inch 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, One half 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; One half teaspoon ground star anise, and 1 teaspoon Szechwan
peppercorns. Stirfry 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. Stirfry 1 to 2 minutes.
Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Stir in and heat Three fourths 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; stirfry 2 minutes. Add 2 cups water and bring
to aboil. Stir in One half cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 clove star anise
and
One half teaspoon cinnamon.

MIXTURES FOR BASTING:

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

b. Combine 2 cups boiling water, One half cup honey and One fourth cup soy sauce.

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

From The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook, ISBN 0517658704. Downloaded
from Glen's MM Recipe Archive, http://www.erols.com/hosey.