Queensland Duckling Recipes

DUCKLING CHASSIGNAT

Steps:

• Cut duck into 8 pieces (2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 breasts). Remove breast meat from bones and cut in half. Cut wings and carcass into small pieces.
• Heat oil in deep fryer to 350 degrees F. Fry duck for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine red wine vinegar, peach juice, and sugar in saucepan. Stir well over high heat. Add Marmite and bring to boil. Add carcass bones and wing pieces. Reduce sauce by half, skimming frequently. Add wine.
• Remove duck from fryer, season with salt and pepper, and place in simmering sauce for 15 minutes, then remove and drain slightly. Continue to reduce sauce, adding arrowroot/red wine mixture to thicken, if necessary.
• Heat clarified butter in frying pan. Fry duck for a few minutes, careful not to burn. Remove duck and set aside. Add peach halves and 2 tablespoons brandy and flame, shaking pan. Add remaining brandy and turn peaches to coat with sauce. Dip duck into sauce and arrange on heated platter. Pour sauce over duck and place peach halves around. Serve piping hot.

CANARD ROTI AVEC GOLD LEAF (ROASTED DUCKLING)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Clean the whole duck and marinate with fresh lemon juice, salt and sugar mixture for 20 minutes, refrigerated. Place duck in a roasting pan with breast up. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and drain fat from the duck. Brush the duck with a half portion of red wine and roast the duck for 30 minutes. Drain the fat again and brush the rest of the red wine on the duck. Continue roasting the duck for another 30 minutes until the skin of the duck turns brown and crispy. Remove the duck from the oven, and remove the bones from the duck. Slice the duck into pieces and set it aside.

PEKING DUCK WITH HONEY AND FIVE-SPICE GLAZE

Steps:

• Combine honey, soy sauce, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes.
• In a large saucepan, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Meanwhile, remove giblets and neck from duck cavity and discard (or reserve for another use). Cut off excess fat from cavity and neck area, then cut off tail. (This helps balance the duck vertically over the beer can.)
• Using your fingers, carefully separate the skin from the breast meat through the bottom of the breasts and work your fingers upward to separate the skin from the meat (be careful not to tear skin). Next, separate the skin from the backbone through the neck and working your way down until you reach the legs. (Scissors are helpful, but be careful to avoid piercing the skin.) Transfer duck to a rack set in the sink.
• Using a ladle or measuring cup, pour half of the boiling water evenly over top of the duck. Flip duck and pour the remaining water evenly all over second side. Tilt duck to drain all water from the cavity, then pat dry with paper towels.
• In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder with 1 teaspoon salt, the black pepper and 1 tablespoon of the glaze. Rub the mixture inside the cavity. Stand duck vertically by inserting beer can into cavity and place in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Using a pastry brush, brush the remaining glaze all over the duck and sprinkle evenly with remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Place duck in the refrigerator, uncovered, until the skin feels dry and leathery, 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees with rack in bottom third of oven. Remove duck from refrigerator, and add 1 1/2 cups water to the pan. Wrap wing tips and tips of drumsticks with foil to prevent burning, then loosely tent duck with foil. Roast for 15 minutes. Decrease temperature to 350 degrees and roast, tented with foil, until skin is mahogany and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes more, adding more water to the pan if needed.
• Leaving duck on the can, transfer duck vertically to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes. Carve the crispy skin from the back and legs of the duck, and slice into strips.
• Carefully remove duck from the beer can and return to cutting board. Carve off the breasts and legs; thinly slice the breasts and shred dark meat.
• Carefully strain pan juices into a small bowl and pour off all the fat. In another small bowl, whisk together the hoisin, sesame oil and up to 1/4 cup of the pan juices to form sauce.
• To serve, spread 1 tablespoon prepared sauce on each tortilla. Top each with some scallions, cucumbers, duck meat and crispy skin. Roll up and enjoy warm.