_onion Brushes To Make Recipes

_POULTRY: TO TRUSS

Steps:

• Place the bird breast-side up. Take a length of clean white string slip it around the back, then under and around the wings. Cross the ends of the string at the tip of the breastbone and pull them taut to hold the wings down. Then loop one end around each leg and tie securely.The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

_ONION BRUSHES: TO MAKE

Steps:

• Discard both the leafy green tops and root ends of thick scallions, leaving only the white stalks. Make a number of vertical, parallel cuts about 1/2-inch deep at one end. Then make a number of other parallel cuts at right angles to the first set to form a grid pattern. (You may do this at one or both ends of each stalk.) Soak 1 hour in ice water. (The shredded ends will open and become frilly.) Drain. Place in a serving dish.NOTE: Onion brushes are served with Peking Duck or as a relish with hoisin sauce.The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

_DUCK: TO BONE

Steps:

• Chop off the lower wings. Cut carefully downward along the spine, working close to the bone. Separate meat from bone without tearing either meat or skin. Lift one leg of duck and move it in all directions to loosen the thigh joint. Insert the knife point, hitting thigh joint lightly but firmly until joint and pelvis separate. Repeat with the other leg and with both shoulder joints to loosen. In the fleshier portions, such as breast and thighs, alternately cut and pull the meat away from the bones, to separate the flesh from the carcass. When meat and bones are completely separated, draw the bony neck out as far as possible through the skin. Chop neck off. Draw out the windpipe and esophagus. Remove as much tail bone as possible, but do not chop off tail. Carefully remove oil sacs near the tail. Wash duck in cold water. Hang by tail to drain thoroughly.The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

DEEP-FRIED CHICKEN À LA PEKING DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Place chicken in a large pan. Boil water and pour over. Bring to a boil again then simmer, covered, 45 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid for stock. 2. Rinse bird quickly under cold running water. Blot dry with paper toweling. 3. Combine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sherry and molasses. Brush mixture over chicken skin. (Reserve the remainder.) Hang bird up to dry about 30 minutes in a cool, airy place. 4. Brush remainder of soy-vinegar mixture over bird. Suspend chicken again and let dry another 20 to 30 minutes. Then combine flour and salt and rub lightly into skin. 5. Heat oil until smoking. Gently lower in bird, using a wire basket or large, long-handled Chinese strainer. Deep-fry, turning and basting, until golden-brown. Drain on paper toweling. 6. Remove crisp skin, cutting it in z-inch squares. Serve on thin slices of white bread with crusts removed, accompanied by onion brushes (see HOW-TO, _Onion Brushes: To make) and a dip of either plum or hoisin sauce. 7. Bone remainder of chicken and cut in bite-size pieces. Serve as a separate dish with the same dip. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.